The Ironhack Blog

We’re sure you’ve heard of ChatGPT by now and there’s a reason why: this artificial intelligence powered chatbot was created by OpenAI and based on the Generative Pretrained Transformer language model, using deep learning techniques to provide users with human-like answers to the text they enter. Launched in late November 2022, ChatGPT has taken the internet by storm, prompting lots of conversations about the future of similar AI-powered tools. ChatGPT is posed to revolutionize the world in various ways: Customer service: ChatGPT could provide customers with personalized and accurate information regarding their order, request, and more. Research : ChatGPT could give users the exact information they need incredibly quickly. Idea creation : ChatGPT could give creators ideas for pieces of artwork, recipes, birthday presents, and more. Parents : ChatGPT could write a chore schedule, plan vacations, and give parenting tips. Coding : ChatGPT could help developers with its knowledge of languages such as Python, JavaScript, Ruby, and others. Just like with any new tool and especially one that’s so revolutionary, there are some drawbacks and it’s important to recognize them; ChatGPT’s factual accuracy isn’t 100% and the tool sometimes can’t handle all potential users at the same time. But we’re intrigued by its uses and how it can benefit us and more specifically, web developers . Here’s some aspects that set ChatGPT apart from similar tools: It remembers previous inputs from the same session, allowing it to become increasingly personalized as the session progresses. It can try to remove harmful or deceitful answers, adding in modern perceptions of historical events. Its answers are detailed and human-like. Let’s dive into some of its uses in web development. ChatGPT for Web Development One of the most known uses of ChatGPT is writing code and its expertise in programming languages . In addition to its knowledge of programming languages, it can help with debugging, summarizing information, and problem solving. Ths radical tool can write code and build a website with just one request, especially skilled from the backend. Of course, there are some functionalities that still require human knowledge, but this is just the beginning. Different from other versions of GPT previously released, ChatGPT can admit mistakes, answer conversationally, answer follow-up questions using information previously entered during the session, challenge inaccuracies, and control the answers it gives. You’ve probably seen some doomsday comments on the internet, predicting the erasure of web developers, but the truth is there’s nothing to be concerned about. In fact, the development of highly-skilled AI tools will actually benefit web developers. Here’s why: At least for now, ChatGPT’s coding abilities are limited to basic code and can’t handle the complex coding that, for example, bank applications or websites require. This means that ChatGPT will be able to take care of the basic coding that software developers could do in their sleep and instead focus their time and energy on more complicated tasks. Due to the fact that ChatGPT’s code is based on code that it’s previously seen, it can’t promise code that’s bug-free, safe, easy to maintain, and well-documented. Web developers don’t just code; they have to build the structure of a program, apply changes, take requests into consideration, and generate exactly what is needed. A future where ChatGPT can do all of this is quite far off. ChatGPT may lead to the creation of new roles , such as AI experts. Even as it expands and improves, ChatGPT will become a skill and tool for web developers to master, allowing them to focus more on more complex tasks. ChatGPT Prompts for Web Development If you’re looking to harness ChatGPT’s power and use it to your advantage, you’re in the right place. Let’s sort our prompts into a few categories: requests, advice, and questions. Requests for ChatGPT Create a website for a local festival using JavaScript. Continue writing this code (enter code). Search this code for bugs (enter code). Find mistakes in this code (enter code). Give me 5 reasons to use JavaScript. Advice for ChatGPT Tell me the most important part of web development. What’s the best code for this kind of website? Give me ideas about website design. Questions for ChatGPT What are the best practices for web design? How do I (insert design aspect here)? How can I correct this code’s bugs? What factors should I consider when writing code with Python? The future of web development with ChatGPT ChatGPT’s groundbreaking technology has led to quite the reaction from the world. While it can seem powerful and able to take on practically anything, we have to keep in mind the following: ChatGPT outputs should be limited to guidance and advice and not be taken as fact. If you ask ChatGPT to write code for you, use it as a reference, not something to copy and paste into your work. Even if you see practically anyone enjoying ChatGPT on the internet, the tool’s incredibly powerful range means that in professional settings, it should be used strictly by experts who know what they are doing. ChatGPT is capable of handling the basics, but that doesn’t mean that knowledge is beneath you or not important; new programmers might be tempted to use ChatGPT for the basics, but web development builds on previous knowledge and abusing this could create a serious knowledge gap. Remember that even as the technology expands and develops, it will never be able to think for itself, understand complex human emotions, comprehend your personal experiences and situations, or understand your business context. ChatGPT is an incredible tool for web developers that will allow for more advancement and time spent on complex issues, but just like any new technology, should be used within reason and cautiously until it is fully understood. So if you’re interested in diving into web development, don’t be scared! Your job is here to stay.

Preparing for that big talk with your boss can be quite stressful: what will they say? Will they say yes? And what if they say no? We’ve all been there and if you think it’s the right time for you, it’s essential that you follow our tips and tricks, prepare your argument and, most importantly, manage your expectations . Let’s dive in. Why should you ask for a raise? Although we’d all like bigger paychecks just because, raises are something that are earned and can be due to a variety of reasons. If your responsibilities have changed and expanded or your performance has improved , those are solid reasons to ask for a raise. And if things have stayed the same, don’t worry; standard salary increases are 3%-5% annually. Now here’s the big question: why do you want a raise? When you head into that meeting with your boss, it’s crucial that you have a clear answer to that question. Even if your rent has gone up or you found out a coworker makes more than you, try to approach the topic with performance-based evidence and communicate the value you bring to the organization. How much should you ask for? Again, it’s important to be prepared before you ask for a raise and have a specific number in mind. For example, while you might be nervous about getting underpaid or asking for too much, what truly matters is your evidence and reasoning. You want to make sure that your request is well-received; that will come from a well-backed proposal. We mentioned that normal annual raises are between the 3%-5% range; this doesn't mean that’s what you have to request. If you were hired for a certain role and are now traveling more than anticipated, taking on more responsibilities, or delivering a strong performance, you can make an argument for a larger raise. When to Ask Your Boss for a Raise First things first: does your company have a standard practice for raises? If so, it’s crucial to respect those and ask for raises within those time periods. If it doesn’t, some moments are better than others. Check out these tips: Don’t choose a time when everyone is stressed : not only are emotions high and patience short during stressed periods, but it’s more likely that your request will be lost in the madness and forgotten. If certain weeks or months are more stressful than others, choose your time carefully. Do choose a time when your boss is pleased with your work : if you’ve been having a rough few weeks or just got back from vacation, it may not be the best time to ask for a raise. Do consider the company’s standing : even if you’re the world’s best employee, a rough quarter might mean that the company simply doesn’t have the funds to give you a raise at that moment. It’s best to wait until the company is in a more stable position. How to Ask Your Boss for a Raise Now’s the moment; it’s time to ask your boss for a raise. Remember to keep your cool and follow these steps: Ensure that you give yourself time to prepare f or the request and time for your boss to get back to you. Most salary decisions aren’t made by just your boss; they’ll need to talk to HR and possibly their supervisor to give you a decision. They also may need to review your performance-based evidence before giving you an answer. Just like with your work, take time to prepare your proposal. Numbers make the best argument and by using data points that support your argument, your boss will be more likely to agree. Know your worth but remain professional and respectful . Lots of bosses don’t make salary increase decisions on their own, but instead have to discuss with another team. Keep your proposal to the following: Your accomplishments within both your entire time at the company and since you received your last raise. Data that backs up your argument that it’s time for a raise. Industry data that shows a competitive salary for your role. The benefits your company will have from your raise. After that meeting Alright, you did it! Your meeting is over and more likely than not your boss will tell you they need to think about it and confer with other colleagues. What now? Well, it’s a good idea to put your request in writing , especially if your original meeting was in-person; this helps you not only have a written record of your request, but makes it easier for your boss to share your argument as you would like it to be made with others. The waiting game can be tough, so consider adding a note to your boss during your conversation or your written follow-up, asking when an appropriate time to follow up would be. It’s important to be respectful of your boss’ time while simultaneously ensuring your work is being properly compensated. What to do if your boss says no We’ve all been there and if you haven’t yet, it will probably happen at some point. It can seem like a personal attack or review, but there are lots of reasons why your boss could say no and not all are related to your performance. Try not to take it personally and instead come at it from a realistic perspective: ask why and take the feedback as constructively as possible . And most importantly, collect a few action items for the future: Understand why your boss rejected your request Ask when would be a better time to ask for a raise Ask what can be done to improve your performance Keep a good attitude and continue to work hard These points, of course, must be balanced with knowing your worth. If you are being paid lower than the industry average or less than similarly-skilled and tasked colleagues, it’s important to place value on your skills . Looking for another job is an option if you are not being treated fairly. It can seem like quite the daunting task, but if you prepare yourself properly, you’ll be up for the challenge.

“Sometimes, data is the pill that we take to calm our insecurity about what we intuitively know.” She’s Chief Marketing Officer at one of the tech unicorns that have revolutionized video streaming: Netflix. Bozoma Saint John is an advocate of intuition for tech innovation. This valuable piece of advice can be applied not only to marketing , but also to design , product , web development and even, let's be crazy, data itself! A Tech Culture of Leaning On Data to Make Decisions In her early experiences, Bozoma’s superiors quickly made it clear that to get her ideas across, she would need to rely on data . " Anchor the idea in the data ," her boss kept telling her as a mantra. According to him, this would help her predict whether or not her marketing actions would work and then see if they actually were successful. This method, starting with a data set to formulate a hypothesis and test it, is very common in both tech and beyond. UX Researcher, UX Designer, Product Manager, and  Growth Marketer jobs rely primarily on observable KPIs to make decisions and refine them . Bozoma took that advice too. She picked a lot of her ideas right there, in the data. Sometimes, she would spot a pattern she would follow. It worked fine for a while. Does a data-based-strategy often trigger innovation? The CMO quickly noticed the limitations of drawing only creative insights from data . Indeed, data analyzes things we do know. It’s not designed to innovate and build disruptive products. Bozoma even speaks of “ the endless weight of data that keeps us bound so we can’t move forward in the future because we’re so tied to the past. ” The example the young woman chooses is eloquent: if Henry Ford had asked for the most popular means of transportation of his time instead of creating the Ford T, he would have tried to boost the speed of horses. For Bozoma,  “ ideas are made off of electricity. They come sharp. They are nonlinear. I kind of feel they are like day dreams. So, with the data, they do not really take off. Intuition gets you there .” Leaving Room for Intuition Makes You Far More Innovative When she was just starting out in advertising in the early 2000s, Bozoma took part in a creative brief for Pepsi. All the partners had a data-driven approach. She remembers: “ At the time, I was an assistant. Spike had everybody in the office, coming up with ideas. They looked at billboard charts, analyzed the sales .” She explains that thanks to her inexperience, she came up with  a genius idea . Since she didn't yet trust herself to interpret the data correctly, she drew inspiration from what she knew: MTV. “ There had been a hip-hop Hopera movie commercial called ‘Carmen’. I loved it. It starred Beyoncé. This was a disruptive idea. Who really mixes Opera and Hip Hop? It was magical. So, I put up my vote on Beyoncé. Now, of course, everybody would tell you to go all in. At the time, nobody was betting on her. My boss at Spike trusted me anyway. Pepsi made a memorable, successful campaign .” It is likely that if the campaign had been driven by the competitors' numbers, it would have made less noise because it would have been offbeat, less creative, or unoriginal . What About Other Tech Jobs? What do these learnings teach us about other tech professions? Well,  it tells us that the most innovative products are built from intuition. It also means truly disruptive ideas rarely come from a data set and that the boldest innovations are most often a small glimmer of wisdom in the mind of someone who doesn't yet know why it should be invented - but knows it should be done. Don't make Bozoma say what it didn't say. Analyzing past performance and creating predictive patterns is still useful . What the Netflix CMO is simply saying is that sometimes, taking a step back and listening to your intuition can be a gamechanger. Even if that intuition contradicts some numbers. Even if what you propose seems crazy. Even when you can't explain it. “Ideas come from our intuition. You can’t really quite quantify this. Sometimes, you can’t even describe it”. Most tech companies use data to make every decision. These days, they don’t have the internal competence sometimes, as employees no longer use their intuition on a day-to-day basis. And if they do, they’re not taken seriously, in a context where numbers are king. "Anchor the idea in the data… " To some extent, this advice provides an interesting methodological anchor. But today, recruiters are also looking for Mad skills, like creativity and intuition! How to Train Your Intuition To work on this highly sought after soft skill, Bozoma says to start small. She has been using her intuition like a muscle every day for over 20 years : no wonder she is able to connect with it. “ Every day, I am charged with looking at campaigns that are 15 seconds long, 60 seconds long, 90 seconds long, that will encourage you to watch something that's much longer. Every day. And so, I have to use my intuition to understand whether or not something is going to make you cry immediately, is it going to make you laugh. And I feel like if I feel that, perhaps you do too. ” To reconnect with your intuition, it seems that you need to clear your mind and make room for it. Bozoma advocates that “ we decrease the dosage of our data. And that we increase the implementation of our intuition ." “ You’ll feel great when you're able to prove to yourself that the power of your intuition is actually accurate, ” she concludes with a smile.

It feels like everyone is talking about ChatGPT . If you’ve tried to check it out and found yourself locked out because too many people are using it…you’re not the only one! When we finally managed to find time in ChatGPT’s very busy social life, we wanted to ask it a few burning questions. How exactly does this technology work? What does it know about the current and future state of tech? And what does it have to say about bootcamps? First of all, tell us what ChatGPT is and how does it work? ChatGPT is a large language generation model developed by OpenAI, based on the transformer architecture. It uses deep learning techniques, specifically a type of neural network called a Transformer, to generate human-like text responses to input prompts. The model is trained on a large dataset of text, which includes diverse types of writing such as news articles, conversation dialogues, and other texts. During training, the model is exposed to many examples of input and their corresponding outputs, and it gradually learns patterns and relationships between the input and output. When the model receives an input prompt, it processes the input through multiple layers of the network and generates a probability distribution over all possible outputs. The model then selects the output with the highest probability as its response. Overall, ChatGPT works by using statistical methods to generate text based on patterns it has learned from its training data, and it does not have the ability to reason, understand, or make decisions in the way that a human would. Tell us about the tech sector: What are the most exciting aspects of working in tech? Working in the tech industry can be an exciting and rewarding experience, offering many opportunities for personal and professional growth. Here are some of the most exciting aspects of working in tech: Innovation and creativity: The tech industry is constantly evolving and changing, providing opportunities for individuals to innovate and create new solutions to complex problems. Variety of work: Tech encompasses a wide range of fields, from software development and data science to cybersecurity and artificial intelligence. This means that there is a wide range of roles and opportunities for individuals to choose from and explore. High demand for skills: The tech industry is growing rapidly, and there is a high demand for professionals with the right skills. This can result in job security, competitive salaries, and opportunities for advancement. Collaboration and teamwork: Many tech roles involve working in teams, providing opportunities for individuals to collaborate with others and learn from one another. Impact: Technology has the potential to positively impact society in numerous ways, and working in tech can provide opportunities to make a difference and help improve people's lives. Constant learning: The tech industry is constantly evolving, and there are always new technologies and techniques to learn. This can provide opportunities for continuous learning and professional growth. These are just a few of the many exciting aspects of working in tech. The field offers a dynamic and challenging environment, and is a great choice for those who enjoy solving complex problems, working with new technologies, and continuously learning and growing. What do you think are the most in-demand skills in tech? The most in-demand skills in tech can vary depending on the industry and current market conditions, but here are some of the skills that are consistently sought after: Cloud Computing: Cloud computing has become increasingly popular in recent years, and skills related to cloud platforms like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform are in high demand. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML): AI and ML are growing areas of technology with applications across many industries, and skills in these areas are highly sought after. Web Development: Web development skills, including HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and React, remain in high demand as the majority of businesses have a web presence and need developers to build, maintain, and upgrade their websites. Cybersecurity: As cyber attacks become increasingly common, there is a growing need for professionals with skills in cybersecurity, including network and information security, threat intelligence, and digital forensics. Data Science: Data science is a field that involves using statistical methods, programming, and data visualization to extract insights from data. Skills in data science, including Python programming and SQL, are highly sought after by companies in a variety of industries. Full-Stack Development: Full-stack development involves working with both the front-end and back-end components of web development. Full-stack developers who are familiar with multiple programming languages and have experience with databases, server-side technologies, and front-end frameworks are in high demand. These are just a few of the most in-demand skills in tech, and the list can vary depending on regional and industry trends. To remain competitive in the tech job market, it is important to stay up-to-date with the latest technologies and to continuously improve and expand your skills. Why should someone consider gaining tech skills? Gaining tech skills can offer many benefits, both professionally and personally. Here are some reasons why someone might consider gaining tech skills: Job opportunities: The tech industry is growing rapidly, and there is a high demand for professionals with tech skills. This can result in job security, competitive salaries, and opportunities for advancement. Career growth: Tech skills are in high demand, and individuals with these skills are often in a strong position to advance their careers and take on more challenging and higher-paying roles. Entrepreneurial opportunities: Tech skills can also be valuable for individuals looking to start their own businesses or become entrepreneurs, as technology plays a crucial role in many startups and innovative businesses. Problem-solving skills: Tech skills can help individuals develop valuable problem-solving skills that are useful not just in tech, but in many other industries as well. Adaptability: The tech industry is constantly evolving, and individuals with tech skills are often better equipped to adapt to changes and new technologies. Personal development: Learning new tech skills can be a rewarding personal experience, providing individuals with the opportunity to challenge themselves, expand their knowledge, and build their confidence. These are just a few of the many benefits of gaining tech skills. Whether you are looking to advance your career, start your own business, or simply learn something new, tech skills can provide valuable opportunities for personal and professional growth. Why choose a tech bootcamp over a university degree? Tech bootcamps and university degrees are two different paths to a career in technology, and choosing between them can depend on a variety of factors. Here are some reasons why someone might choose a tech bootcamp over a university degree: Speed: Tech bootcamps are typically shorter in duration, lasting anywhere from a few weeks to a few months, compared to the several years required to earn a university degree. This can make them a more appealing option for those who want to quickly transition into a tech career. Cost: Tech bootcamps are often less expensive than university degrees, especially considering the shorter duration. This can make them a more accessible option for those who are seeking to retrain or change careers, but are unable to invest the time and money required for a traditional university education. Practical skills: Tech bootcamps focus on teaching practical skills that are in high demand in the tech industry, such as coding, web development, and data science. They aim to equip students with the skills needed to immediately begin working in their chosen field. Flexibility: Many tech bootcamps offer flexible scheduling options, including part-time, online, and evening courses, making them a good choice for those who are unable to commit to a full-time program. Networking opportunities: Tech bootcamps often offer opportunities to network with industry professionals and alumni, which can be valuable in finding job opportunities or making connections in the field. It's important to note that university degrees and tech bootcamps have different strengths and weaknesses, and choosing between them will depend on individual circumstances, goals, and preferences. For example, a university degree may provide a more well-rounded education, with a greater focus on theory and a wider range of course offerings, while a tech bootcamp may provide a more focused and intensive learning experience that is more directly applicable to a career in technology. How is the UK tech market compared to other European markets? The UK tech market is one of the largest and most developed in Europe, and is considered to be a leader in several key areas, including fintech, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity. Compared to other European markets, the UK tech market has several unique advantages, including: Access to capital: The UK has a well-developed venture capital market, and there is significant investment available for tech startups and growing businesses. Talent pool: The UK has a large and highly skilled talent pool, with many top universities producing world-class tech professionals. Favorable business environment: The UK has a pro-business environment, with favorable tax policies and a supportive regulatory framework for tech businesses. Global reach: The UK has a strong position as a global hub for tech, with many multinational tech companies based in the country and a well-established network of international partnerships. However, the UK tech market also faces some challenges and risks, particularly in the context of Brexit and the ongoing uncertainty around the UK's relationship with the European Union. Nevertheless, the UK tech market continues to be a vibrant and dynamic sector, with many exciting opportunities for businesses and professionals. When compared to other European markets, such as Germany, France, and the Netherlands, the UK tech market has a strong position and is considered to be one of the leading tech hubs in Europe. However, each European market has its own strengths and weaknesses, and the relative competitiveness of the UK tech market will depend on the specific focus and goals of the companies and individuals involved. What's your advice for someone thinking about changing careers and moving into tech? If you are thinking about changing careers and moving into tech, here is some advice that can help: Start learning: The first step in changing careers is to start learning about the tech industry and the specific skills and technologies you are interested in. There are many free online resources, such as online courses, tutorials, and forums, that can help you get started. Network: Building a network of professionals in the tech industry can be a valuable resource for career advice and job opportunities. Attend industry events, join online communities, and reach out to people in your network who work in tech. Gain experience: Gaining hands-on experience is crucial when transitioning into a new career, and there are many ways to do this, such as taking on freelance projects, participating in hackathons, or contributing to open-source projects. Update your skills: Keeping your skills up-to-date is important in the rapidly evolving tech industry. Consider obtaining certifications, attending conferences, or enrolling in continuing education courses to stay current with the latest technologies and best practices. Be open-minded: The tech industry is diverse and there are many different roles and careers within it. Be open-minded about the type of role you want to pursue and be willing to take on entry-level or junior positions as you build your experience and skills. Find a mentor: Finding a mentor who has experience in the tech industry and can offer guidance and advice can be invaluable. Look for someone who has a similar background or interests and who is willing to support you in your career transition. Be persistent: Changing careers can be challenging, but with persistence, hard work, and a positive attitude, you can successfully make the transition into the tech industry. These are just a few of the key steps you can take to change careers and move into tech. By following these steps, you can gain the knowledge, skills, and experience needed to build a successful career in the tech industry.

If you want to keep up with the demands of the market and better navigate the digital world, knowing the best tech tools will be crucial to your success. These tools can help with anything from cybersecurity software and task management tools to the best CRM platforms. They’re here to help users streamline work, manage potential threats, save time, and fully take advantage of what today’s technology has to offer; being in the know about the latest tech tools has never been more important. Cybersecurity software Considering the frequent use of online storage, the amount of private data that’s collected, and our reliance on the Cloud, companies are making cybersecurity a top priority. In a time where our work is more entwined than ever with technology, we’re more vulnerable to hackers, data leaks, and cyber attacks. Securing data and disrupting potential attacks is immensely important; not only does offering cybersecurity help reduce the potential financial loss for a company, but it protects internal data and ensures the company a good reputation. ManageEngine Vulnerability Manager Plus ManageEngine Vulnerability Manager Plus is a cyber security tool designed for end-to-end risk management mediation through offering complete coverage, regular assessment, reporting of vulnerabilities, and built-in remediation. Notable Characteristics: Regular scans: The program runs regular scans to discover the vulnerable areas of all local and remote office endpoints in addition to roaming devices. Assess potential risks: ManageEngine uses attacker-based analytics to assess potential risks. The program prioritizes areas that are more likely to be attacked. Compliance: ManageEngine helps businesses meet compliance requirements as well as security and audit objectives. Secures potential loopholes: The program helps reduce the possibility of exploitation of security loopholes and prevents future loopholes from developing. Patch Management: Offers support customizing, coordinating, and automating patching processes. Zero-Day Vulnerability Mitigation: ManageEngine deploys pre-built, tested scripts in order to secure networks from zero-day vulnerabilities. Price plans offered by ManageEngine: Prices vary in relation to the amount of workstations, servers and users needed. Website : ManageEngine Vulnerability Manager Plus Task management tools To make it as a business today, managing tasks, facilitating group work, and being in communication (remotely or in person) has never been more important. A good task management tool can help your company have efficient and clear communication in order to save time and complete necessary tasks. In the end, proper task management increases productivity, reduces stress, and ensures higher quality work for the company and client. ClickUp: ClickUp is a top rated task management tool to help increase productivity, establish priorities, and manage multiple projects at once. The user-friendly platform is utilized by companies like Google, Webflow, and Airbnb. It’s a favorite of business owners, project managers, and freelancers. Notable Characteristics: Templates and Recurring Tasks: To ensure that efficiency is prioritized, ClickUp offers templates to give users a base to create project plans and new tasks. The Recurring Task feature allows for tasks to repeat and customize how often they appear. Priorities: The tool helps users identify their prioritized tasks through a simple color coded system. The system makes companies more efficient as users can easily identify priority tasks. Reminders and Notifications: ClickUp sends reminders making it easy to keep track of deliverables. Equally, notifications are used to keep everyone updated on task developments. The frequency and location of notifications is customizable to better support team members. Views: The software offers a variety of views to accommodate the diverse ways that users may want to engage. From simple lists and calendar view to spreadsheets, ClickUp helps users visualize and organize their work. Integrations: The app can be integrated with other apps and collaboration tools like Slack, Gmail, Zoom, Outlook, Google Drive, HubSpot, and more. Price plans offered by ClickUp: ClickUp Free: Free forever ClickUp Unlimited: $5 per member per month ClickUp Business: $12 per member per month ClickUp Business Plus: $19 per member per month ClickUp Enterprise: Custom pricing Website: ClickUp Web development tools Web development has changed significantly in recent years, thus utilizing the best tools and plugins can help streamline the work, make it more intuitive, and help you save time. Taking advantage of the best web development tools will help companies be more efficient and build stronger websites. GitHub: GitHub is a web development tool that helps users improve workflow, identify errors in code, and create stronger websites. The tool helps track changes made to code, return to previous states to fix mistakes, and keep track of bugs. The tool is designed for collaboration, built with security in mind, and has shown to increase web development velocity . Notable Characteristics: Productivity: GitHub helps users accelerate web development through a variety of tools to increase developer velocity. The platform also offers a complete development environment so users can code, test, and pull requests from any repo anywhere. Collaboration: The tool offers flexible project management tools that help facilitate collaboration, providing unlimited repositories and access to their powerful open source community. Security: GitHub helps users respond to threats proactively through offering regular security scans to find vulnerabilities in your code. Code Scanning: GitHub offers static code analysis to identify potential issues in your code. Price plans offered by GitHub: GitHub Free: Free forever GitHub Team: $48 per user per year GitHub Enterprise: $252 per user per year Website: GitHub Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is proving to be more and more necessary in order to personalize and better connect with clients. As businesses collect more and more data, having tools to effectively gather, manage, and analyze that data has never been more important. The proper CRM tools can help you establish new clients and build stronger relationships with existing customers. Businesses who invest in CRM have better customer retention, see an increase in revenues, and grow their companies. There are two customer relationship management softwares you should know about. monday Sales CRM: If your company is overwhelmed with tasks and wants more support in the area of project management, monday Sales CRM is the CRM software for you. The platform’s easy to use interface makes data organization, visualization, and analysis a stress-free project. The software will help you save time, makes communication smooth, and is overall an intuitive management platform. Notable Characteristics: Customizable : The software can be customized to your sales cycle and be tailored to match your company’s project management needs. Integration: The platform can be integrated with other apps like Slack to facilitate better communication with your team. Automating Sales Processes: monday Sales CRM automates repetitive work, assigns leads to reps, and sets reminders for upcoming tasks. Centralized Communication: The platform can be integrated with contacts and email to automatically track interactions and prepare personalized email templates. Price plans offered by monday Sales CRM: monday Sales CRM Individual: Free forever monday Sales CRM Basic: $10 per user per month monday Sales CRM Standard: $14 per user per month monday Sales CRM Pro: $24 per user per month monday Sales CRM Enterprise: Custom pricing Website: monday Sales CRM Sage CRM: Sage CRM is a customer management tool focused on the longer term relationships with customers. The software helps employees monitor and support customers all on one platform, helping track data and provide metrics on case histories that can be transformed into comprehensive and visual reports for customers. Sage CRM also offers support in managing marketing channels and offering more personalized marketing campaigns. Notable Characteristics: Reliable Insight: Sage CRM offers real-time insights through ongoing data analysis that help customers and businesses make better informed decisions. Exceptional Customer Experience: The software will help better serve customers through centralizing work on the platform, identifying service gaps, and providing a personalized customer experience. Collaboration: The project management aspects of the tool keep everyone collaborating efficiently. Data is consolidated in one place so everyone can access the visual reports. End-to-end View: The platform delivers an end-to-end view of a given customer’s work, grounded on reliable data that helps expand up-selling and cross-selling opportunities. Price plans offered by Sage CRM: Custom Pricing: Get a Quote from Sage CRM Website: Sage CRM If you’re looking to dominate in your field, these tech tools may be the answer to increasing productivity, managing tasks, offering security and providing stronger services to your customers.

Almost everyone has experienced some form of remote work and study over the past few years, due in large part to the pandemic. And while it seems like it’s a great setup, there are a lot of things that change when you primarily work remotely - and some of them might be a surprise! Just like with any change, there are pros and cons. Let’s take a look at some: Working responsibilities It can be hard to log off You could love your job more than anyone else in the world, but who wants to be working all the time? When you work remotely, it’s easy to work late hours or check your email on weekends: if your entire home is your office, setting boundaries becomes almost impossible. Ironhack’s tip: as hard as it might seem, try to pick one place in your home to work from and once the work day is over, put your computer away and respect your time off just like you would if you were still working from the office. Lots of independence…like, a lot There’s no boss breathing over your shoulder and no coworkers interrupting you with questions every few minutes. You’re basically on your own and wow , that’s a lot of independence. Some might benefit from more space and freedom, but others may miss someone keeping them in line. Ironhack’s tip: If you’re having trouble staying focused at home, try setting small and attainable goals to help you manage your time and tasks. It can seem like an impossible task, but part of remote work is learning how to be efficient and productive even outside of the office. Your responsibilities expand… but not work ones ! Does being at home all day mean that you’re the new building doorman, picking up everyone’s packages? Or are you asked to be the community dogwalker, adding a walk into your daily routine? It can be hard to create a solid boundary between your work and personal lives, but it’s a necessity. Ironhack’s tip: set clear boundaries with your housemates, neighbors, and anyone else who is asking you to take on additional responsibilities during the day. While receiving a package for someone else seems easy, make sure it doesn’t become a regular request that can interfere with your day-to-day; even though you’re at home, you’re still working. Zoom fatigue: yes, it’s real! There are four major parts of zoom fatigue: seeing yourself in meetings for extended periods of time (something that simply doesn’t happen during in-person meetings), seeing everyone in the meeting at the same (in the office, we usually focus just on the speaker), we feel obligated to stay in the exact same spot for the entirety of the meeting (it can feel strange to get up for a glass of water or bathroom break and leave your camera on), and communication gets more complicated (it’s harder to read non-verbal cues online). Ironhack’s tip: if you find any of the four parts of Zoom fatigue familiar, try to turn off your camera periodically or use the “hide self-view” feature so you don’t see your own camera. And if you notice it’s an issue that other colleagues are dealing with as well, establish team rules where some calls don’t have cameras on and are simply run through the audio. The social aspect Missing coworkers You probably think we’re joking, but we’re not; you may actually start to miss your co-workers! Especially if you live alone or are the only one working remotely in your house, it can get quite lonely just sitting in front of your computer all day. Ironhack’s tip: just because you’re working remotely doesn’t mean that there’s no in-person interaction available! Reach out to your local colleagues for an afterwork meetup or if you’re not located close to your co-workers, try scheduling “coffee breaks” during the day for you to hop on a video call and catch up. Neighbors If you worked primarily in the office, you spent the vast majority of your time away from your house and what happens in your neighborhood or building from 9 to 5. Now that you’re working from home, a whole new world has opened up; did you know that the stay at home mom takes an at-home aerobics class every Wednesday morning? Or that your neighbor mows his lawn every Monday afternoon? Now you do. Ironhack’s tip: if there’s a constant habit that’s making it hard for you to get your work done, make sure you plan accordingly. Avoid scheduling meetings during your neighbor’s Zumba class and make sure you’re being a good neighbor as well! Keep your music or podcasts at an appropriate volume and if it’s getting impossible to work at home, don’t be afraid to make a friendly comment to your neighbors. Lunch breaks Commuting time, saved! Did you have a tough commute, adding an hour or two to your workday? Now that you’re at home, not only can you get up later and still be on time for work, but you also have lots of extra time once the workday is over. And if you are lucky enough to have additional flexibility, you might be able to fit in some errands or a quick workout during your lunch break. Ironhack’s tip: it may be tempting to try to squeeze more into your day with the time you saved commuting, but you don’t want to overextend yourself and cause burnout. Just like if you’d take a lunch break in the office to clear your head and rest, it’s important to do the same at home. Take advantage of your saved commuting time but don’t get carried away: you’re only human! Meal prep Lots of people complain about having to pack a lunch for work or the added expense of eating out with co-workers but few mention the added weight of having to prepare a third meal every day! It seems minor, but facing another meal to prepare or cook, especially with the pressure of being home all day and having time to cook, can be overwhelming. Ironhack’s tip: when you’re doing your weekly grocery shopping, take into account this extra meal and if you’re having trouble coming up with ideas, consider a meal delivery service, trying out new recipes, or finding a simple and tasty option that doesn’t result in added stress to your day. The office (or lack thereof) The world is your office This depends on your role and company policies, but many remote roles can be carried out from practically anywhere! As digital nomad visas become more popular, you can even take your adventures overseas and continue to make a living while exploring. Ironhack’s tip: if you’re interested in becoming a digital nomad, make sure you check out your company’s remote work policies before planning your adventure. Some companies have restrictions on the countries from which you can work or may expect you to be online during a certain timeframe. You can work from anywhere If your neighbor’s HIIT workout is messing up your Friday mornings, head to a café or a local coworking spot to grind out some work. If you like sitting in the sun, hotspot internet from your phone and sit on a park bench, soaking in the sun while you complete tasks. Ironhack’s tip: figure out what works for you . If working at home gets monotonous, shake things up and head to a local café for an hour or two. The beauty of remote work is the ability to make it work for you and your needs. Do any of these sound familiar? Probably. Remote work can be a challenge at first, but the key is being flexible and figuring out what works best for you. And as many tech roles are becoming partially or completely remote, it’s time to make remote work a positive experience for you and your job.

We’ve all had that moment when we created our LinkedIn account, thinking it would be an instant key to success. The reality is, however, that many of LinkedIn’s benefits go unused; did you know that in addition to being one of the main sites for job offers worldwide, LinkedIn can also help you make connections, learn about upcoming networking events, and learn from like minded professionals? So why are so many of its benefits going untouched? Let’s dive in. LinkedIn and its Benefits LinkedIn boasts over 600 million professional profiles; this is an absolutely huge number that shows its potential reach. And if you’re looking to grow your brand, find a new job, seek advice from industry experts, or simply learn more about the business world, this is where you need to be. Job hunting Are you recently unemployed and looking for your next job? Or maybe you’re content in your current role, but are interested in what’s out there. LinkedIn not only serves as an incredibly large and globally used job search tool, but you can also configure alerts for interesting roles in your area or field and be the first to know when one is available. It’s not just one-sided either; recruiters can use LinkedIn to reach out to you (yes, it happens!) after viewing your profile on their searches. With LinkedIn Premium, you can also directly message recruiters and HR professionals, see how you compare to other applicants, view salary information, and see who’s been checking out your profile. Networking Depending on your area of interest, it may be hard to keep up with sector changes or even know what kind of roles are available. LinkedIn can serve as a huge advantage for those looking to build their connections. Are you looking for advice from an experienced professional in your industry? Do you want to see what people with a similar profile are doing? LinkedIn can give you all this information, thanks to its connection tool and powerful search bar. Your personal brand Companies aren’t the only ones trying to advertise on LinkedIn, you should be advertising yourself as well. Just like we do, recruiters use the search function on LinkedIn to find what they’re looking for. This means that you should use LinkedIn to sell yourself to potential employers; not only can recruiters find and message you, but they can also look at your profile and make their first impression. Try these tips: Choose a professional photo. Although some people use LinkedIn as another social network, it’s a professional site. Write a description that describes your professional achievements. Keep your profile up-to-date and add any new roles or certifications you’ve earned. Transparency Although it's not a social network in the traditional sense, LinkedIn allows users to post a status and share their experiences, which can help you gain information about working for different companies. It also boasts a hashtag feature, so you can search by a company name or role and see what people are saying. News Companies laying off lots of employees? Sector changes? LinkedIn’s news feed status helps you stay up to date with what’s happening in the industry, with your colleagues, and with your connections. Users also share when they have completed a new course, gained a new skill, and more; with LinkedIn, no opportunity will slip by. Groups It can be hard to find like minded professionals who have the same skillset as you, are in the same location, or have the same goals. That’s when LinkedIn’s groups come into play: groups can help you connect with alumni from your university, other job seekers, organizations, recruiters, and practically anything else you want! Tips for Creating the Ideal LinkedIn Profile LinkedIn is a tool with incredible reach; let’s check out some of the most important areas to address and the key to making the most of it. Profile picture : your profile picture is the first thing people see when you apply for a job or visit your page; the photo must be a headshot so your face is clearly visible and professional. Our tip: Not sure about the photo you have? Browse through LinkedIn, check out the photos your colleagues have, and try to make sure yours fits. Title : when you search for someone or someone posts on your feed, their title is listed right below their name. This is the first thing that recruiters will associate with you and it must be accurate, attention grabbing, and versatile. Our tip : make your title as open and inviting as possible; in today’s day and age, many roles take on many different hats and if you limit yourself to just one description, recruiters may assume you’re not a good fit. Description : when someone looks at your profile, your personal description is where they’ll get the most information. This means it’s absolutely essential to share important information like your education and professional experience, show off your skills, and peak their interest. Our tip : anyone can call themselves strategic, focused, and creative; use actual numbers and facts to back up for experience and intrigue recruiters. Additional profile content : LinkedIn allows you to enter employment and educational information, skills, licenses & certifications, languages, recommendations, and interests. Our tip : recruiters want to know what it’s like to work with you; take advantage of all of LinkedIn’s options to fully sell yourself, showcase all your skills, and convince prospective employers that you’re the right fit. Common mistakes on LinkedIn It’s not all simple and easy on LinkedIn; many make simple mistakes that can hurt their chances at landing their dream job. Try to avoid these three main mistakes : Using LinkedIn like Instagram or Twitter : LinkedIn isn’t a place to share updates about your personal life or recent vacation; it’s a professional site. However, many tend to overshare and treat LinkedIn as just another personal network. Make sure you set boundaries between your personal and professional lives and keep your LinkedIn clean and professional. Unprofessional private messages: it may seem like a no-brainer, but reaching out to recruiters or hiring managers with impersonal messages asking for help or a job opportunity won’t work and comes across as unprofessional. When privately messaging, try to introduce yourself, explain why you’d be a good fit for the role, your experience, and where to reach you. Incomplete profile : you may think your employment information is the only thing that interests companies, but they want to know what you studied, any additional certifications or courses that you’ve added over the years, what past colleagues have to say about you, your photo, and your personal description. Incomplete profiles don’t convince recruiters the same way that detailed ones do. If you’re using it right, LinkedIn can be the key to propelling your career forward and helping you land your next role. Follow these tips and we’re sure you’ll reach success.

5 Hacks to Take Your Remote Working to the Next Level After the COVID-19 pandemic, one of the benefits that the world was able to take away from such a terrible experience was the possibility of a new reality: remote working. Now that the majority of the world has returned to the pre-pandemic normal, companies, workers, and society as a whole have had a taste of remote working. Some prefer this work model since it gives them more freedom. Remote working has many benefits like waking up later, avoiding traffic jams and public transportation, and staying comfortable in your pajamas, but how can you take it to the next level? Let’s take a look at five hacks that can help you go from remote zero to hero . A Dedicated Work Space The great thing about remote working is that you get to be comfortable at home, but is there such a thing as too comfortable? Well, yes, there is. It may be tempting to spend the day working under your favorite blanket on the couch, but your productivity may be affected. Spaces have energy ; your body and mind make mental and emotional associations to whatever you do, wherever you do it. Let’s take the example of your bed. For most, that’s where you laze about, relax, maybe watch TV for a bit, and eventually fall asleep. Do those activities sound energetic, dynamic, or productive? Not really. When it’s time to work, you need energy, sharpness, and efficiency to complete your daily tasks. Dedicating a sacred space to finish your work instead of procrastinating is essential to remote working. This space can be in a home office or at a desk in the living room, but try to avoid working in spaces where you relax . As remote working can be done anywhere, other options would be to bring your laptop to a café or a nearby coworking space . Double the Screen, Double the Productivity A simple yet effective hack for making your remote work experience easier and more effective and productive is to use two monitors, allowing you to multitask and work faster with more available screen space. Additionally, it can be a great tool for improving your time management by having your to-do list, time goals, and schedule clearly written and visible before you on the other monitor. When you have a lot to do, a visual reminder throughout the day can be quite beneficial. Setting up a second monitor is easy if you have an extra television in storage or you work near a television . The only extra gadget you need to buy to connect your laptop to a television is an HDMI cord, and depending on your computer’s model, you may need to buy an adapter . And if you have a tablet at home, that could also serve as a second screen. Always Dress for Success Everyone loves to stay comfy in their pajamas all day on the weekends and it can be very tempting to wear sweats when working from home; some would even consider it to be one of remote work’s largest benefits. However, doing so can negatively affect your productivity. To avoid falling into the trap of too much comfort and staying within the mindset of it’s time to work, you can wear your typical work outfits . Business casual looks fit the bill, but if you’re feeling really disconnected from the office, putting on a button down shirt, a blazer, or a dress would certainly help. Similarly to the idea of the association of finding a separate work space, the goal behind donning those work clothes is to make you feel as if you are in the office . It’s another way to focus your mind on productivity and efficiency while also preventing those stylish work clothes from collecting dust in your closet. Focus Mode Buzz buzz. You pick up your phone and see another hilarious meme from your best friend on your screen. Technology can be quite the distraction , especially when you work primarily on your phone or computer. Have you heard of the notification blocker called focus mode ? This tool allows you to completely turn off any notifications that reach your phone and laptop, which means that your devices won’t vibrate, ring, light up, or push  messages when it receives the notification. Worried about missing something crucial? Don’t be; you have the freedom to configure it so that specific people can reach you and that certain applications like Slack or Teams will pop up with their notifications. Having the ability to pick and choose which notifications will go off is extremely important for staying in touch throughout the day with your colleagues and boss. Nevertheless, you have to be smart and honest with yourself about which app notifications need to be turned off and hold yourself accountable. Breaks with Coworkers Another hard lesson that society learned after the COVID-19 pandemic was that socializing is essential to life . Although remote working can be carried out at home or in other spaces, coworkers and team members can be extremely helpful in a variety of ways such as staying on task, providing support, or taking a break and decompressing . So when and how can you meet up with them if you’re remote working? There’s lots of ways: Try a video call on whatever program you prefer. Google Meet, Skype, or Zoom are great free options that cater to multiple people on a shared video call. You can also set up a lunch break with co-workers to ask questions about work or just chat, disconnecting entirely. If you have the opportunity to move away from your work space, calling a friend, going for a walk, and breathing in some fresh air is another great way to enjoy social contact while racking up those steps. Having scheduled breaks with social time allows you to feel like you are still experiencing the social aspect of working at an office with peers that understand the job while enjoying dynamic movement throughout the day instead of just working your entire shift without face-to-face social interaction. Remote Work Hero Although you may find it difficult sometimes to stay on task while remote working, you can apply these hacks to your daily routine and make the most of your time . As society continues evolving to rely more heavily on technology and computers , remote work using a device will become more and more common and in the world of tech, almost all jobs can be done from home as long as techies have a safe network, a high-speed internet connection, and the right computer for the job. If remote working is something that interests you, tech may be the right field for you. Check out our other blog posts about careers in tech and our course offerings at Ironhack to find out more information.

You’ve been intrigued by the rise of the tech industry and know that a career change is the right choice for you. But there’s a lot of different roles and responsibilities within tech; these roles all apply to different strengths and weaknesses. So, which one should you choose? Well, that depends on you. Before we dive into some of the different options, it’s important to know exactly what is driving your decision. What’s important to you? There’s a ton of opportunities available in tech; in fact, many of the workforce’s largest gaps are in the tech industry. And that’s because tech is an incredibly fast moving sector with a need for well-trained, highly skilled professionals. That’s why it offers growth and high salaries which sound great on paper, but it’s important to define what’s behind your decision to jump into tech. If any of these apply to you, tech sounds like a great fit: You enjoy problem solving You want to be creative at work You want to keep learning on the job You want a new challenge You want flexibility in your new role You want growth opportunities at work These are all great qualities that are highly desirable in tech, but a big career change can be scary, no matter what point in your career you are at. Here are some of the biggest doubts that new techies have: “I’m bad at math! How will I work in tech?!” While there are a good number of tech roles that do require math skills, many don’t! Consider design roles, such as visual design, graphic design, or UX/UI design. Tech companies also need additional support, such as marketing or content. “Will I make a good salary even if I’m not a senior developer?” Yes, you will. Customer support specialists, for example, still make great salaries. “Will I fit in?” Historically, tech hasn’t been the most diverse and inclusive industry, but that’s changing. And it’s something to consider when interviewing; ensure that the company’s values fit yours; there are many tech companies that are truly dedicated to achieving equality. If they don’t, that’s a sign to place your talents elsewhere. “How do I know what role is right for me?” You’re in the right place! This article will outline the characteristics of four of the biggest tech roles to help you find the right one for you. Finding the Right Tech Role for You Your aptitude for a role isn’t solely dependent on your education or technical skills; although those do matter, there are some personality traits that can make you truly succeed in a certain area. Let’s dive into them. Web development One of the most well-known parts of tech is web development and with good reason. There’s lots of different jobs for web developers, such as front-end developer, back-end developer, and software developer. Their main characteristics are: Good communication skills Patience Strong attention to detail Desire to learn Logical approach Creative problem solving skills If web development seems to be the right fit for you, consider brushing up on some of the most in-demand skills of web developers: Java, web application development, software development, SQL, UI design, and HTML5. Data analytics Every company needs data analysts, no matter what they are dedicated to. Data analysts obtain data and convert it into useful information for the rest of the team through inspecting, cleaning, transforming, and modeling data. There’s a wide range of techniques used throughout data analysis, meaning that you’ll always have new things to learn. Their main characteristics are: Good with numbers Familiar with databases and query languages Good analytical skills Able to work with deadlines Good communication skills Strong attention to detail Critical thinking Does data analysis sound like it’s right up your alley? Great news, data analysts are in high demand for 2023 and employers look for the following technical skills: statistics, data analysis, domain knowledge, data visualization, and creating dashboards and reports. UX/UI design Even though it may seem more related to art, design is a key part of tech; if clients can’t figure out your website or code, you won’t be successful. And that’s where UX/UI designers come into play. Their main characteristics are: Good team working abilities Empathy Creative Effective communication skills Open to criticism and suggestions Problem solving Good listening skills If UX/UI seems like it fits with your skillset, that’s fantastic news. Skilled UX/UI designers are in high demand across the world and have plenty of opportunities for growth and continuous learning. Cybersecurity Cybersecurity is probably the fastest growing sector of tech as cyberattacks and threats are increasing just as fast as our solutions. And cybersecurity professionals are in incredibly high demand as companies look for solutions to problems like malware, ransomware, and phishing. Their main characteristics are: Inquisitive Strong attention to detail Analytical Ethical Diligent Tomorrow’s cybersecurity professionals will be tasked with a real challenge: protecting company and user data from cyberattacks and threats. Does it seem like a job for you? No matter what role in tech you decide to choose, we’re sure that you’ll find the right fit. And if you’re unsure, check out our helpful bootcamp quiz to help make that decision for you.

Why is Cybersecurity so Important? What is the first thing you do when you wake up? If you’re like most people, you’re probably desperately grabbing your phone, turning off your alarm, and then opening Instagram or Youtube. The internet and all the gadgets and devices you spend hour upon hour using make up a huge part of your life because they are so deeply integrated into society . Do you have a job? You need to provide them with your social security number, your address, and your bank account right from the get go. Are you sick and have to go to the doctor? All of your medical history goes straight onto their system . Sign up for your basic neighborhood gym? Basic details about your life are directly entered into their database . Even online shopping requires inputting very sensitive data . As society becomes more digitized, connected to the internet and linked with a wide range of devices, the easier it becomes for hackers and other internet wizards to gain access. The information that is put out there onto the web can be as simple as your age or favorite color and as important as your credit card numbers, address, or social security number. How can you protect users and prevent this information from falling into the wrong hands? One word: cybersecurity . What is cybersecurity? Hearing the word cybersecurity, you can see two words very clearly: cyber and security; cyber refers to computers, the internet and the world of virtual reality, while security entails protection from any potential threats or danger. Nowadays, the internet is a place where all sorts of information is exchanged, stored and entered into databases such as Google Drive, emails, and the mysterious and all encompassing Cloud. Every time you make an account on a website that requires a username and password, you are inputting information into their system and those companies, organizations, or other entities become responsible for your private information to a certain point, which means that if anything happens to the data that they have trouble on their hands. They may not be entirely liable in the case of a data breach; however, users may back out and unsubscribe to their services if they feel that their private information isn’t handled with care. Thus to protect that information, cybersecurity programmers and companies use a variety of tools to block any intruders and know whether any data breaches have occurred in their system. Who is trying to steal your information? For every superhero, there’s also a supervillain and cybersecurity is essential given cyberattacks that have become more sophisticated and nefarious, especially since these crimes continue evolving alongside technology. As society becomes more and more reliant upon the internet to share sensitive data, hackers will carry out these cyberattacks and do their best to access and use their personal information to steal identities, spend money, delete or add information, and many other illegal activities. Cybercrime has become a problem that has caused the need for companies and organizations to create countermeasures against these hackers so that cybersecurity professionals can fight these attacks before they happen, check to see if a data breach has occurred, or take action after learning of a cyberattack. How does cybersecurity work? In order to protect users from threats, cybersecurity professionals have to safeguard and create new and innovative methods to ensure the safety of their information. There are three different types of measures that cybersecurity uses to protect information: threat prevention, threat detection, and incident response . Threat prevention Similar to security in general, cybersecurity is primarily focused on building an impenetrable defense that doesn’t allow entry into their vulnerable space. Threat prevention’s aim is to protect the network perimeter and block traffic so that malware and phishing attacks aren’t able to reach the information on whatever database the company has at their disposal. Data breaches are a big threat to any collection of data , and this type of security acts as a shield that doesn’t let foreign programs in. Threat detection While threat prevention is used to create a shield, threat detection is a tool that analyzes and scours the network in order to see if there are any threatening or malignant programs that have entered the system. Although having threat prevention is quite important, it doesn't always provide a 100% guarantee that there isn’t some sort of malware present, which is where threat prevention software is quite helpful to cybersecurity professionals. They have to discover or hunt for these foreign programs because they do their best to stay hidden and to continue accessing the private information that becomes available to them. Incident response plan In addition to these two methods of mitigating cybersecurity risk, an incident response plan is another essential tool to have at your disposal. As I said before, the world of cyberattacks is constantly changing and becoming more complex, which means that there may be times that the castle has been sieged, but there’s no need to fret . Having that incident response plan at hand will allow the cybersecurity team to be prepared and ready to take action after the damage has been done. These plans are created to mitigate cybersecurity risk, increase response time to the cyberattack, prevent further issues and direct teams with detailed instructions depending on what type of attack has been carried out. Even though no one wants hackers to ever get access to their data, it’s necessary to have a contingency plan prepared for the cybersecurity team to tackle it both calmly and reasonably . Who manages cybersecurity? Since cybersecurity has become a staple in the IT field, companies have opened a staggering amount of positions in cybersecurity , which include security analyst, security engineer, security architect, security administrator, and chief information security officer. Each one of these has different responsibilities that are an integral part of the cybersecurity team. As the title implies, a security analyst’s job includes analyzing and evaluating any potential weak points to the system and then fortifying those vulnerable spots. Security engineers are hired to observe the systems and perform log and forensic analyses to detect if there are any security issues. They also create the incident response plan for when there is a data breach and research new technology that would improve their data protection. When security architects get to work, they focus on creating either entirely new security systems or major sections of it, while the security administrator both installs and watches over security as an organization-wide entity. The leader of all of these positions would be the chief information security officer or CISO, and this position entails management of their employees and sometimes filling in for gaps in their team . This is just a short list of some of the possible positions that await you in the field of cybersecurity. Currently, cybersecurity is exponentially growing given society’s congruent reliance on technology and the internet, and at Ironhack, there are courses available on cybersecurity that you can find here . So, why IS cybersecurity so important? In society, technology has become majorly interconnected with everyone’s lives and as a result, all information that goes online or into a database is vulnerable . Luckily, the superheroes of the internet and computers, cybersecurity protectors, are there to defend your data and detect and eradicate any security threats, and without them, the whole world would be extremely susceptible to a myriad of crimes . Cybersecurity may not be a topic that is spoken about frequently, but it is of the utmost importance for the welfare of all .

Most people agree there is a huge shortage of skilled technologists. How big is the gap? This 2022 report from Tech Nation suggests that there were around 870,000 UK tech and digital job vacancies between January to May 2022, the highest number recorded in the decade since jobs platform Adzuna began producing their annual study data in 2012. This, despite a huge push on behalf of the UK government to encourage people to follow a conventional path into the technology sector; teaching coding in schools, promoting STEM subjects, and students to study IT related-subjects like Computer Science at University. But it’s a myth that you need a university degree to secure a job in technology, and it’s pretty much universally accepted that traditional education methods are not fit for the modern age. And not much has changed since Ken Robinson’s now-famous TED talk - over than 15 years ago. So in a cost of living crisis it’s not surprising that the value of degrees are coming into question. SheCanCode has recently published a piece on our reasons why choose a bootcamp over a degree, coming from Gabriel Pizzolante, UK Growth Marketer at Ironhack, and we'd like to share it too. Bootcamps are a credible alternative, for four main reasons. Tech bootcamps make you employable more quickly than degrees The vast majority of employers are not particularly interested in whether you went to university or not - the main thing they need is independent proof that you have the skills and have done the required training. Whatever your chosen line of work - web development, UX & UI, data analytics or cyber security - bootcamp certifications are taken seriously by employers with almost all Ironhackers going on to secure jobs. You could spend three years at university, getting into debt, or you could learn these vital skills in months and boost your chances of walking into a higher-paid job. Tech bootcamps give you an opportunity to build your own portfolio Hands-on practice is not just a superb way to reinforce learning. Nothing impresses like initiative and proactivity. Indeed, it also provides you with tasks, use cases, and applications that can show employers examples of your development skills. For someone who wants to step into the industry, doing a lot of projects that you’re working on can help greatly in preparation for a future role. It should become pretty evident where you can incorporate your training to solve real-world problems, and then it’s just a matter of building something and then showcasing it to a potential employer. Where a degree may provide theoretical proof that you can build things, and solve problems, a bootcamp give you practical, real world examples. Tech bootcamps have incredible support communities Many students get their start in their industry through their network, whether personal or professional.  What use are the skills if nobody knows you exist? In addition to the immediate community of students on the same programme as you, there are benefits to being part of a wider support network of alumni - both around the campus and region you attend and globally. And with a network of more than 600 partners - all of which look to Ironhack for tech talent - we’ve also launched community initiatives with companies like Google, EA Sports, Facebook, Uber, Vinted, Bunq and many more to help students get into the industry. Tech bootcamps are much better value for money than degrees. There are lots of benefits that come with doing a University degree. For many, it’s a rite of passage, a memorable life-changing experience and a huge achievement to have those letters after your name. But it’s also incredibly expensive, and with the increase in fees and the cost of living (and not working full time over the duration of the course) most graduates leave UK Universities with huge debts running into the high tens of thousands of pounds. Not only does a bootcamp ensure you’re in a position to get a job much faster, but there are a range of funding options available to cover the costs - some of which, like a student loan, don’t need to be repaid until you’re in a position to cover it with your salary. Thinking about the investment required to gain the skills for a job in tech, it's important to consider all the factors that will help you succeed. Ironhack offers support from the point of application where our Admissions Managers take the time to answer all questions and help our candidate determine whether the bootcamp is really for them. Looking for a career change? If you're already considering options, you've just taken the first step.

Despite years of growth and the pandemic boom, 2022 proved to be a tough year for tech giants like Meta, Amazon, Alphabet, and Twitter. In the last few weeks, we’ve seen massive tech layoffs, new leadership that’s led to disastrous organizational changes, and cost cutting measures implemented across the tech industry. With a potential recession and plummeting revenues, 2023 will be telling of the future of big tech. In November, CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Meta would cut almost 13% of their workforce (11,000 jobs) and called for a hiring freeze. Amazon followed suit after their third-quarter earnings fell short of expectations, laying off 10,000 employees in tech related roles. Just last week, Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai announced the layoffs of 12,000 employees. And of course, the newest tech CEO Elon Musk purged about two-thirds of Twitter’s workforce . The industry finds itself in a more unstable moment than ever, forcing us to grapple with some of the root causes of this all too precarious sector. This stage is marked by greater instability, a concentration of speculative financial capital, a post-Fordist economy and larger income inequality. Tech boomed amidst the pandemic because it was able to capture a greater audience through bringing our work online and further decentralizing the forms in which we participate in the flow of capital. However, the success of tech is not necessarily tied to actual profits. It’s backed greatly by investor speculation and the potential gains forecasted by stockholders and economists. To put it differently, the tech industry is not simply experiencing a storm that it will find a way to weather, but quite the opposite; its precarious structure is being exposed. That said, these dramatic changes shouldn’t be understood as failures of the industry, but rather, a bump in the road for a sector that has proven to be more than adaptable . The decentralized tech industry structures allow for advances and collaborations previously unthought of in earlier business endeavors. Platform based structures provide fluid ways of connecting users, consumers, and clients. In other words, traditional understandings of building sustainable businesses do not necessarily apply to the industry. Despite how unsettling the changes in the sector may seem in the short term, the future of big tech is one marked by great possibility. How did we get here? In 2022, big tech claims a combined market value of around $2.5 trillion according to J.P. Morgan . Despite a decade of strong growth, the tech industry found itself navigating rising interest rates, rampant inflation, and a reliance on outside investors over companies making real profits. With the pressure to rapidly adapt to economic changes in order to stay afloat, the sector searched for quick fixes in order to survive insecure times. The current changes in the tech industry can be attributed to five issues: Bloated cost structures Unsustainable business design Changes in consumer patterns Supply chain difficulties Competition in the industry. Bloated cost structures Big tech once boasted lux working conditions, employee perks, inflated budgets, and global offices; however, those benefits are proving unsustainable if profits cannot be secured. The pandemic boom led to a necessity to recruit and hire the best talent in the industry ; therefore workers secured better pay packages and benefits as companies fought to attract and retain talent. Companies are being forced to address these bloated cost structures and cut perks, shrink global real estate footprints, and lay off “non-essential” employees. Unsustainable business design Because of the tech boom, the vast majority of tech companies have financial structures highly reliant upon external investments. In moments of greater economic insecurity, companies must prove that they can remain profitable for investors. Current rising interest rates have investors looking for quick returns on investments, forcing companies to also look for short term solutions. Those include unsustainable decisions like cutting staff in order to inflate share prices and give the illusion of maximized profits. Again, the industry has been propped up on investor speculation. Doug Anmuth, Head of the U.S. Internet team, J.P. Morgan explains, “Key opportunities for Big Tech in 2023 include rightsizing cost structures through headcount reduction and greater operating discipline, increasing focus on profits and cash flow, leaning responsibly into new growth drivers and gaining market share during this tough macro period.” Through trimming cost structures and appealing to investors, companies may secure short term solutions. However, these business decisions are not sustainable in the long term. Changes in consumer patterns Due to significant economic changes, inflation, the price of rent, and general economic security, consumer spending slowed in 2022. Non-essential items like some new technologies are the first to go when consumers find themselves facing more precarious economic situations. For example, Apple saw a deceleration in the handset and smartphone markets and was forced to reduce the production of the iPhone 14. This is true across tech: as discretionary spending slows, the industry takes a hit. Supply chain difficulties Since the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve seen great threats to the global supply chain . This is as a result of factories closing during the pandemic, conflicts such as the war in Ukraine, and other threats to global transportation from air freight to rail: Amazon faces difficulties delivering goods at a fast pace because of operational challenges relating to delivery workers. Apple struggles to secure quick production of their devices because of factory closures and worker unrest in Zhengzhou, China. Microsoft posted its worst quarterly revenue growth in five years. They cited surging energy costs as one factor limiting their ability to secure profits. For tech, a sector modeled on the frictionless flow of goods and services, threats to the global supply chain greatly impact the goods and services that the industry can provide. Competition in the industry Tech is appealing and platforms develop quickly because the barriers to entry are minimal and the possibilities for innovation are endless. The sector has grown immensely in a short amount of time, making competition steep. Tik Tok, for example, has beat out Instagram, Snapchat, Youtube, and Facebook as the most used social media platform. Other applications also pose threats to tech companies like Meta and Alphabet. It’s an industry that is growing quickly and the pressure to adapt to market pressures and compete with other platforms is high. It’s not all gloom and doom: The Future of Big Tech The chaos we’ve seen in recent weeks should not be understood as an end to the tech industry in the slightest. If anything, the changes in the sector should be thought of as growing pains and opportunities to reorient business strategies and organizational structures. Macro pressures, supply chain difficulties, and industry competition is a reality in any sector. The task here is to understand the current landscape of big tech . The layoffs remind us of the precarity of this work and the insecurity we feel is a testament to the ways in which the whole sector is improvising. The task here is not eliminating that risk, but rather finding new ways to harness it. Leaning into the fluid structures provided by decentralized tech work will become more necessary in order to make this sector work for us. It’s scary to see the wealthiest of companies struggle, however, with proper analysis, the shifts can be understood as possibilities more than threats to the future of big tech. What’s always been important to big tech is flexibility and a frictionless movement of goods and services. From here, new business strategies must be developed to ensure that tech companies can find solutions that are longer term and not based on false illusions of profitability. How can this happen? Through: Diversifying income streams Identifying the chokepoints in the supply chain and finding ways to reduce those potential threats Creating strategic alliances with competitors to be more resilient together. A more sustainable era for big tech simply means obtaining a better analysis of the current industry and implementing the necessary changes to be more resilient in the face of a sector that’s successes are owed to its ever-changing structure. What’s exciting here is the possibility promised by big tech. Of course, we find the industry in a moment of change and under significant stress, yet, the potential for growth, new business strategies and structures, and the opportunity for new competitors to partake in the industry is exciting.

It’s that time of year again: exams are coming up, the days seem so short, and there’s no end in sight. Your stress levels are probably rising but don’t worry: it’s completely normal! We’re all facing a bit more stress these days and, believe it or not, there are ways to manage your stress and get to work. Stress: What Causes It? There are lots of reasons why you might be feeling stressed. Big life changes, pressure, feeling out of control, too many responsibilities, or boredom can all contribute to stress. And at work specifically, stress can seem interminable . Work stresses can come from being unhappy at your role, a heavy workload, long hours, dangerous conditions, fear of being fired, interactions with colleagues, or facing discrimination in the workplace. Lastly, sometimes we stress ourselves out because of the following factors: fear, uncertainty, our personal perspective on a situation, expectations, and change. We all have some stress in our lives and realize some of these probably seem quite familiar. And while stress can occasionally be a good thing and help push you through that last stretch of a task or job, stress can also have some serious effects on your health; learning to manage your stress is key. Effects of stress Even though it seems like an internal thing, stress can result in the following physical problems: Headaches Tiredness Upset stomach High blood pressure Abnormal heartbeats The following can be emotional or mental effects of stress: Depression Trouble concentrating Difficulty sleeping Irritability Ways to Handle Stress There’s a ton of information out there on how to manage stress, but here’s the most important tip we can give you: find what works for you. Meditation apps and reduced screen time may be the saving grace for your colleague, but that doesn’t mean it’s the right choice for you. Below, we’ve outlined ten stress management tips so you can try a few and find the best fit. Exercise It may seem obvious, but exercise is one of the best stress relievers out there. Exercise increases endorphins, reduces the effects of stress, helps you center your energy, and improves your mood. And the best part? It doesn’t matter what kind of exercise you do, all forms are great for your overall health . Try yoga or a boxing class and watch the benefits kick in. 2. Focus on getting enough sleep Stress is hard enough to deal with without being exhausted as well; a lack of sleep can make your problems seem worse than they actually are, make it hard to focus, and cause you to overreact. If you’re having trouble staying or falling asleep, try limiting screen time before bed and meditating. 3. Watch what you put in your body Alcohol, drugs, caffeine, cigarettes, sugar, and junk food can all affect how your body deals with stress. Caffeine, for example, is a nervous stimulant that actually increases the body’s stress response. And alcohol, drugs, and cigarettes can all lengthen response times, make it harder to focus, and complicate getting work done. On the other hand, if you stick to a healthy diet, it can help relax your muscles and lower anxiety; try eating healthy fats, whole grains, lean proteins, and green fruits and vegetables. 4. Prioritize Stress is frequently caused by a strong sense of being overwhelmed; if you relate to this, you should take a look at your current responsibilities and tasks and see if there’s anything that can be removed. If you can’t find anything that can be eliminated, try making lists, using a calendar to get organized and have a better handle on the tasks at hand. 5. Talk to a professional if needed Even if you follow all these tips, there are times when the stress can get out of hand and become impossible to deal with. That’s when it’s time to talk to a professional. Life coaches, therapists, financial advisors, psychologists, and psychiatrists are all experts in the effects that stress can have on your life and can give you the professional support that you need. 6. Use your community If we’re stressed, it’s easy to feel alone and like no one understands what we’re going through. But that couldn’t be further from the truth; everyone, regardless of their job, relationship status, or family size, feels stress. Confiding in trusted friends and family can not only help you feel like you’re not alone, but also get tips and ideas from people you rely on. 7. Limit screen time There’s nothing like seeing someone else’s perfect life on Instagram to make you feel like you’re not doing enough. And we know that you already know this, but let us repeat it: nothing is as it seems. Someone may seem to have it all figured out but they probably don’t; in addition to improving your sleeping habits, limiting your time on social media can also help you compare yourself to others less and have an overall better opinion of yourself. 8. Do what you like No one can be a machine all day every day, blowing through tasks and responsibilities. As we mentioned earlier, making a list of priorities that absolutely must be accomplished can help you reduce the weight of your responsibilities. And now try something: add a few things you enjoy doing to that list , like taking the dog for a walk or watching your favorite show. 9. Be nice to yourself There’s no point in beating yourself up about what you have to do; in fact, doing that will actually increase your overall stress. Try and go easy on yourself: we all have tons of responsibilities and it’s normal to feel overwhelmed every once in a while. Discover what makes you happy, such as a warm bath or quality time with loved ones and make sure that you’re incorporating that into your routine to give yourself some much needed self care. 10. Find out what makes you tick Our last piece of advice may be the hardest to implement but can have an incredible impact: find out what your triggers are . Do you notice your stress levels increasing right before an important work meeting? Or do social outings make you dread the upcoming event? Figuring out exactly what is making you feel stressed could be the key to managing it and decreasing it in the future. When you find yourself feeling stressed, take a second to think about the cause of that stress; this will help you be more prepared in the future. Do these tips sound like something you can implement in your day-to-day life? It can seem like an insurmountable task at first, but you can get your stress under control and continue making a difference . We believe in you!

Samantha . This is the name of the artificial intelligence that Joaquin Phoenix’s character falls in love with in the movie “Her”. He does precisely that because of his own solitude, but also because the software has been configured to be frighteningly human. Doesn't that sound familiar? Just 10 years after the release of this very intriguing anticipation movie, Chat GPT showed up. OpenAI, a San Francisco-based AI company also responsible for tools like GPT-3 and DALL-E 2, the breakthrough image generator that we talked about in our AI creativity post , has created this clever artificial intelligence program. It has the answer to absolutely everything and it has been configured and trained to interact in the most human way possible . It works so well that you would think you had a friend or relative at the end of the keyboard, except it’s a robot that has a sense of humor. How was Chat GPT configured? What is it already able to do? How will it change the way we work? Here’s a portrait of an AI like no other. Birth of a Humanoid AI Leonardo da Vinci would have dreamed of it; San Francisco entrepreneurs have done it. They configured an artificial intelligence program capable of answering any question in a qualitative way in just a few seconds. ChatGPT, which stands for Generative Pretrained Transformer,” is the best AI chatbot ever released to the general public. Feel like reading a set of 50 Haikus about the Sequoia National Park? Let's go. Want the software to invent the rules of a new board game? No problem. Fix a complex code bug? Sure. Write your best man’s speech for your friend's wedding? Believe it or not, it can do that too. To successfully adapt to any situation, Chat GPT has scanned, absorbed, and analyzed hundreds of millions of texts. That is to say, it has processed almost every word published on the Internet from its creation to 2021. Did you think Wikipedia represented an infinite volume of data? It's only 0.6% of the database known by this AI. In just 5 days after its release, more than a million people tried to query Chat GPT. Today, this AI is imposing itself at a lightning speed at work. To name just a few examples, it can write marketing texts, create code, write a sales pitch, help you negotiate a salary increase or even coach you to settle a conflict with a colleague. For Alexis Grinbaum, Research Director, this software will find its place in the working world and change its uses. " Entire sectors of the workforce will evolve but not disappear”, he states. “There will always be lawyers and doctors and journalists, but the content of their jobs will change.” This means that Chat GPT is already shaking up the professional world. Surprising Uses of Chat GPT One Twitter user asked Chat GPT to " write a biblical verse in the style of the King James Bible explaining how to remove a peanut butter sandwich from a VCR” . But that's not all! It can also: Write jokes: Tell me the difference between a balloon and an elephant. “The difference between a balloon and an elephant is that you can inflate a balloon, but you can’t inflate an elephant just like that!" Write 4 lines of the Hotel California song in the style of Shakespeare: “In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, Upon a balmy eve, in days of yore, The Eagles sang a tale, most tragic and mean, Of a hotel, called California, forever more." Solve the mystery: who came first? The chicken of the egg? “ The egg came first, it was just too chicken to admit it." Imagine and describe a world with Elon Musk as our leader. “If Elon Musk was the leader, the world would be a very interesting place! We'd all be living on Mars by now and probably have jetpacks for personal transportation. Traffic jams would be a thing of the past because we'd all be zooming around in our Teslas. And forget about power outages, we'd have solar panels on every roof! The only downside is that we'd all be working 120 hour weeks to pay for it all. But hey, at least we'd be saving the planet and colonizing Mars, so it's totally worth it, right?" Surprising? It can also: Find ideas for party themes or costumes Write an essay Ask for compliments Write a resignation letter Get relationship advice Get advice on how to pitch ecology to your climatosceptic uncle Jamie and so much more. How Far Will Chat GPT Go? A series of articles would not be enough to list all the implications that GPT Chat could have on our society. This tool is already being described by some as a more powerful technology than Google. But will it flop or rock: who knows? However, we’re sure that we will have to regulate the use of this very intelligent and fast learning AI quickly. In the United States, Chat GPT is already banned from schools and colleges, where professors have watched in amazement how the robot writes essays. This, in addition to the ethical problem that it poses if some students no longer do the work but are graded like the others, can have serious consequences on the intellectual capacities of those who instead of training to think, ask the AI to do it for them. What about the law, where AI could be used by lawyers in trials, even though we don't know where and how it gets its information and law professors have noted that it makes mistakes? Or art, which, if generated by robots, will probably lose its standardization value? Can GPT chat eventually replace content creators, translators or web developers? According to PwC , 73% of workers think technology can never replace a human mind; however, 37% are worried that automation might put their job at risk. In any case, we can think about what will happen if, just as today, Chat GPT’s server is down and inaccessible while this tool is being used by millions of people at work. It's all going to be fascinating: let's get some popcorn and while we're watching it happen, think about what you can do to transform tech with Ironhack.

You’d have had to have been living under a rock for the past few months to not be aware of the economic downturn forecast and the rising inflation. In times of economic uncertainty, one thing that everyone wants to be sure of is that their jobs will still be there for them tomorrow. Or that if you are entering a new field – like many of our Ironhack students are – that there will be a job for you at all. But are things really as doom and gloom as news anchors might have you believe? Certainly, we are all feeling the pinch and have noticed those extra euros adding up on our weekly grocery shop. However, when it comes to tech, things might be a bit brighter than you originally thought. The German tech job market has surprisingly been booming through this rather bleak period. In 2022, it saw substantial growth and we forecast that will continue to span into 2023. With tech giants such as Google, Meta, and Microsoft making headlines with their layoffs in the US, it's only natural that if you are working in tech you will be wondering if those kinds of layoffs will make their way to Germany. No one can predict the future but with Germany's strong economy and highly educated workforce, it has become a prime destination for technology companies looking to expand their operations in Europe. This has led to a growing demand for tech talent in various fields – including everything from cybersecurity to UI/UX design . To help you better understand the current state of the German tech job market and what the future might hold for it, we have put together this summary. Read ahead to get a snapshot of how the German tech job market is growing, and what the future of work will look like. We will also explore the areas where there is the highest demand for tech talent in Germany, the skills that are most in demand, and the opportunities available for those looking to start or advance their career in tech. How is the German tech job market growing? The German tech market is experiencing incredible growth with the industry expected to reach a staggering value of $133.02 billion in 2026. These figures seem almost too good to be true, but trust us, we double-checked them twice. So, just how is Germany's tech job market thriving when some other nations and industries are slowing down? For a start, Germany is one of the biggest tech centers in Europe. Just how did we come to that conclusion, you ask. Well… German tech VC investment is 2nd in Europe. Berlin is 2nd for VC tech investment in Europe, behind only London. There were 96,000 unfilled IT jobs in Germany in 2021, and the demand is only rising. In 2022, the Q4 tech job postings in Germany exceeded those of key countries in Europe by over 300% on average. If you're looking to make your start in a tech career, Germany is one of the best places to do it right now. The future of tech jobs in Germany in 2023 and beyond With such large investment in tech and numerous tech giants setting up their headquarters in cities such as Berlin and Munich, a skills shortage has emerged. In July last year, staff shortages hit almost half of all organizations surveyed by the Munich-based research institute IFO, forcing them to slow down their operations. While a slowing economy may force some companies to increase efficiencies or slow down hiring, for many IT will be the last department to be affected. With digital transformation on the mind of every C-suite executive across Europe, many companies will still prioritize hiring for tech roles. Currently, Germany lags behind many nations in terms of technology specialists, making businesses eager to snatch up any talent that lands in their interview room. The shortage of skilled workers has risen to a new high in Germany, affecting 49.7% of companies in July. The new level is much higher than the previous record. “ More and more companies are having to cut back on business because they simply can’t find enough staff ,” says Stefan Sauer, a labor market expert at the IFO Institute. With organizations of all kinds looking to hire tech staff, what skills are most in demand? What skills should be learned to land a tech job? Overall, Germany has a vast pool of well-trained and experienced tech talent to choose from. However, the demand for tech roles and digital skills outweighs the supply. For example, 41% of IT companies in a Bitkom survey reported that they were looking to hire software developers. It's clear that Germany needs more technology experts who can fill the myriad of jobs created in this sector every year. One of the biggest areas of growth in the German tech job market is in the field of Artificial Intelligence (AI). German companies are leading the way in developing and implementing AI technologies, and there is a high demand for professionals with skills in areas such as machine learning, natural language processing, and computer vision. Check our Data Analytics Bootcamp to learn more about machine learning . And it's not only in AI, there are job opportunities available across a range of IT skills. Germany: A place full of tech job opportunities The country's skilled workforce, supportive government policies, and thriving startup ecosystem make it an attractive destination for tech professionals looking for new opportunities. Ironhacks bootcamps can help you get the hands-on skills you need to land a job in the growing tech industry and be part of any company's workforce. We provide students with a highly focused, intensive education taught by experienced industry professionals. We also provide a great network of alumni and partners in the industry to help students connect with potential employers and find job opportunities after completing the Bootcamp. If you're looking to make a career change, upskill or start a new job in the tech industry, Ironhack Bootcamp is a perfect choice. Find out more about our courses .

As a UX/UI designer, you know that user interviews are key. These 30 or 60 minute interviews with participants are essential for success: how can you design a product that’s ideal for users without hearing directly from participants?! You can’t. This article has everything you need to fully understand user interviews and implement best practices into your future interviews. What are User Interviews? To put it simply, user interviews are a research method used by UX designers to collect user data. In addition to generating qualitative data, you can also observe the user’s feelings, perceptions, and experiences as they relate to your design. The vast majority of UX design is problem solving; there’s an issue that exists, such as a tough to use webpage that UX designers are tasked with improving. And to improve upon something that already exists, there’s no better way to get suggestions than from real user experiences. Benefits of user interviews: They are fast and easy to conduct You can understand the user’s perceptions and experiences You can ask follow-up questions You can understand both verbal and nonverbal cues You can ask for clarification or additional information When to use user interviews Even though user interviews can be helpful for lots of cases, they aren’t the best choice at all times. Take a look at the best times to conduct user interviews: Before beginning the project: you may want to jump right into your work, but taking a second to conduct user interviews can help you define your buyer personas, journey maps, main goals, primary improvements, and more. Shortly after beginning the project: once you’ve used the information gathered from the initial interviews to start working, it can be helpful to check back in with users to ensure you’re on the right track. Close to the end of the project : once you’re almost done, it’s a good time to do shorter and quicker user interviews to check in and see how users feel about the finished product. It’s hard to open yourself to critique that late in the game, but it’s certainly better to know of any issues before the product is released! Although the three times we mentioned are solid choices for user interviews, there are a few times when you should not conduct user interviews. If your client has enough analytic research to back up their request, there might not be a need for user interviews. And if you can’t pinpoint the right group to interview or you won’t get a full picture of the user pool from just a few interviews, other research methods may be more effective long-term. Lastly, no one likes wasting time; if you don’t have clear questions and clear outcomes, there’s no point in conducting interviews. How to Conduct User Interviews It may seem simple, but conducting user interviews properly will make all the difference. Here’s what to keep in mind: Prepare the participant : this can come in many forms, but making sure the participant is prepared is crucial to the success of your project. Ensure the following: The user feels comfortable and heard The interview process and purpose is explained to the user You ask simple questions and let the user finish their complete thoughts Prepare yourself: before starting the interview, make sure you know what you want to accomplish. Prepare both questions and follow-up questions to get all the information you need. And most importantly, prepare answers and follow-up questions for unexpected situations; your participants won’t always answer as you anticipate. Think of thoughtful questions : simple yes/no questions won’t get you anywhere. Open-ended questions that get the participant talking can help you not only get the information you need, but also extra information that you maybe didn’t expect. Avoid leading questions : you may think it’s more straightforward to ask a participant “Why do you like using our product?” but this question makes two assumptions: that the participant uses the product and likes it. And if you frame it as a yes or no question like, “Do you use our product in the morning?” the participant may just answer, “yes” and provide no additional information. Be clear and concise: ask questions that are clear and obvious to the participant; many user interview sessions are time-limited and if you have to clarify or provide further information, you could be wasting valuable time. Possible concerns with user interviews User interviews can be great ways to get valuable feedback, but there are some things of which to be cautious: Participants may not feel comfortable sharing their feedback or opinion as openly as you would like. It may take some introductory questions and time for the participant to open up. The human memory isn’t perfect; participants may guess about memories or round up or down in their answers, creating inaccurate results. Participants aren’t experts on the subject. They may not fully understand the purpose of the interview and accidentally leave out valuable information. User interviews vs. usability testing There are many research methods available; choosing the proper one for your project could be the deciding factor. These are the main differences between the user interviews and usability testing: Participant involvement : in user interviews, participants have to be vocally active, contributing to the conversation and providing information. During usability testing, however, the participant doesn’t need to talk as much; they just need to test the product. Gathering information about their experience can also be completed via surveys or written questionnaires. Tester involvement : for user interviews, the interviewer needs to be lively and build some sort of rapport with the participant to get information. On the other hand, the goal of usability testing is for the participant to act as if they were on their own and therefore, the tester should be present but forgettable so that the most realistic results are gathered. Timing: although user interviews can be conducted throughout the entire design process, usability testing can, understandably, only be used when there’s something for the user to test. This can mean that feedback only comes much later in the process and can be harder to implement. User interview and usability testing might seem similar, but there are two fundamental differences: user interviews reveal the participant’s feelings and thoughts about a design; usability testing reveals the user’s ease and process while using the design. User interviews can be a fantastic way to get the information you need. But before you do anything, make sure that you thoroughly define your goals and are sure that it’s the best research method for you. Happy designing!

It’s that time of year again and those aspirational New Year’s resolutions are starting to catch up with you. Are you meeting your goals? Are you falling behind? It can be hard to meet your goals, especially if you set a bunch of resolutions. But don’t worry, there’s a way to catch up. Keep reading to find out the main reasons why people fail at their New Year’s resolutions and what you can do to get back on track. The Most Popular New Year’s Resolutions So what exactly are people deciding to accomplish in the new year? Let’s take a look at some of the most popular resolutions: Exercise more Eat better Lose weight Save money Spend more time with family and friends Learn a new skill Why are New Year’s resolutions so popular? You don’t hear people talking about setting high goals in August - so why is January such a popular time? Well, new beginnings give us the chance to take a blank slate and do whatever we want with it. The new year can also feel stressful because we don’t know what to expect; setting our goals and intentions can make us feel in control of an otherwise new situation. That’s why January and the new year feels like the best time to commit to new goals. However, it’s not always that simple. Why Do New Year’s Resolutions Fail? We’ve all heard the saying, “New Year, New Me.” And the new year can seem like the perfect time to set some new goals for yourself and as the new year approaches, it’s the only thing people are talking about. But the truth is that 18% of people fail at their resolutions by January and 41% have given up completely by July . Here are the main reasons why: You’re being impatient: it might be exciting to decide you’re going to fully kickstart a new routine or lose weight this year, but creating good habits takes a long time. You won’t lose weight (and keep it off) if you try crash dieting or an exercise plan that you’re not used to. With new year’s resolutions, slow and steady wins the race. You don’t have a support system : even the most thought out and well-designed resolution can fail if you don’t have the right system in place to help you out. There will be times when you need a little push or someone to hold you accountable; try committing to your goals with a friend or partner. Your resolution is too rigid : trying to commit to seven workouts a week when you haven’t been to the gym in months is setting yourself up for failure. Once you start to miss some (which would be completely normal!), it can be easier to give up altogether. Set realistic goals that you see yourself achieving. Your resolution is too loose: if your resolution is to “eat healthier,” that’s quite broad. While it’s good to not set any strict goals such as “eat x amount of protein a day,” you do need some guidance to meet your goals. How to get back on track Do some of our bullet points feel a little familiar? No worries. Even as January comes to a close, there’s still time to turn it around. Regroup : first things first, let’s check in on your resolutions. How are they coming along? What’s been working? What hasn’t? Do you know why you’re falling a bit short? Try to get up to date with your resolutions and where you stand; this will help you improve in the coming months. Plan: Most resolutions get lost in the hustle and bustle of the new year, the return to a  routine, and planning for the upcoming year. So try to break down your goals and make them more manageable; this can mean setting weekly or monthly objectives. Reframe: is there a resolution that’s just not seeming realistic? It happens. It’s easy to lose hope, so try to reframe your goals: is it proving impossible to get to the gym 5 days a week? Try going 3 days and once you’ve established a routine, increase it to 4. Give yourself patience and time to adjust to your new goals. Reward yourself : it’s tough to take on new challenges and being too hard on yourself can result in decreased motivation and, ultimately, failing to meet your goals. So when you do reach your goal, or even take a step towards it, make sure to reward and praise yourself. Take on the New Year with Ironhack Are you looking for a New Year’s resolution that will leave the rest in the dust? We have just the one for you: transform your career and jump into tech with one of Ironhack’s bootcamps: Web development : learn how to handle the technical design, performance, capacity, speed, and capabilities of website design, from both the front and back ends. Data analytics : discover the importance of understanding and interpreting data, preparing you for a role in a wide range of companies. UX/UI design : interested in finding that sweet spot between coding and design? UX/UI design may be perfect for you. Cybersecurity : every company needs cyber assistance and as a trained cybersecurity professional, you’ll have a wide range of roles available to you. Are you ready to revamp your New Year’s resolutions and make 2023 the year you start doing what you love? Whether it's heading to the gym more, spending time with family, or jumping into tech, Ironhack is here to help you make those dreams a reality.

Ironhack , one of the main training organizations in tech, has launched a new service allowing students to undergo intensive training in Web development, UX/UI design, data analysis, or cybersecurity and then be recruited within a network of more than 600 partner companies worldwide. "This year, we have decided to place more emphasis on the international dimension of Ironhack. This is both a considerable asset for our students and our partner companies, and a response to the growing demand we are seeing in each country where we are present. As all our courses are in English, our students can take courses in Paris as well as in Barcelona or Miami and then be hired in São Paulo or Berlin, depending on their wishes and the positions they are looking for." Manon Pellat, General Manager at Ironhack. Ironhack: the Center of Tech Talent Ironhack has been disrupting tech since 2013 with 10 campuses spread over 3 continents in Europe, South America, and North America. In total, more than 10,000 students have graduated from Ironhack’s bootcamps, including more than 1,400 in France alone. Ironhack's strength also lies in its network of partner companies , which today includes more than 600 recognized companies, including Fortune 500 companies as well as SMEs, start-ups, and agencies. "All of Ironhack's teams around the world work with students to develop their talents and help companies hire by increasing the diversity of their workforce. This fluidity allows our students to be hired in the best companies around the world very quickly after the validation of their curriculum," concluded Manon Pellat, General Manager at Ironhack. Online and/or in-person classes All students can choose from remote courses or a full-time or part-time bootcamp at one of our 10 campuses around the world; courses are taught in either English or the local language to prepare students for employment in the tech sector. Each student benefits from personalized support throughout the bootcamp, which includes career coaching during their search for employment, thanks to our teachers and our dedicated career services. A pool of renowned companies Ironhack boasts a network of more than 600 companies that recruit year round for positions in the tech sector including Accenture, Amazon, Criteo, Zalando, Microsoft, Samsung, Airbus, American Express, BackMarket, Capgemini, Cdiscount, Engie, Fleet, GRDF, Mirakl, Payfit, Swile, Thales, ManoMano, Google, Visa, Twitter, Orange, and more. Ironhack Alumni Marion Choisy Marion is French and completed Ironhack’s remote UX/UI Design bootcamp. Today, she is a Product Designer for a digital platform and lives in Madrid, Spain. "I started Ironhack’s remote UX/UI Design bootcamp in October 2020. I chose Ironhack because I had only heard very positive feedback. Moreover, the training is particularly well known in Spain where I live. I preferred to do the training remotely because it allowed me to better balance my professional and personal life. Doing the course in English allowed me to brush up on my language skills, prepare myself to work in an international environment, and meet other students from different countries, which was very enriching. You learn different ways of approaching subjects depending on culture and education; it allows you to expand your point of view and learn new ways of working and understanding concepts. When you work in a team with people from different backgrounds, your knowledge base becomes immense! And the "small talks" during the group work are particularly interesting because we learn a lot about other cultures. Through Ironhack, I developed a large network in Europe, of course, but also in the US with other alumni. There is a lot of mutual support between former Ironhackers." Guillaume Huchet Guillaume is French and attended the UX/UI Design bootcamp in Paris. Today, he is Head of Design for a startup and lives in Paris, Sofia, and London. "I chose the UX/UI bootcamp in Paris in English because coming from graphic design, I wanted to learn what I was missing to get a job and have better growth options in tech. The concepts of UX/UI were totally new to me and it was a way to give meaning and value to my work. My choice to do the bootcamp in English came first from the fact that there are a lot of anglicisms in most of the UX/UI terms we use every day, which provides a clear advantage. It was also an opportunity to improve my English level and meet other designers from different nationalities, enriching both my personal and professional experiences. It’s an opportunity to discover other cultures and maybe even some other design issues that are sometimes specific to each country. I strongly recommend doing an English bootcamp for all these reasons. I loved the international aspect of the school and it confirmed my desire to work in another country. After the bootcamp, I worked for a year and a half between Munich and Paris for a design agency as a product designer. Today, I work for a startup, alternating between Paris, Sofia, and London as Head of Design/Product Designer." Guillaume Huchet Are you interested in kickstarting your tech career with Ironhack and becoming the next big thing in tech? We’re waiting for you!

Not just anyone can simply get a successful start-up off the ground. Those who have been successful are often well versed in business strategy and project management methodologies --areas of research proven crucial to start-ups who want to secure the competitive advantage in the cutthroat world of business. The waterfall methodology is one of many project management models utilized by start-ups and businesses alike. It’s a software development model attributed to computer scientist Winston W. Royce. Since the 1970s, the sequential approach to project management has been crucial to the success of countless software development projects and remains relevant today. What is the Waterfall Methodology? In short, the waterfall methodology, or waterfall model, is a project management strategy that uses a linear 5 step process to carry out a project from beginning to end . The model requires detailed planning, regular documentation of progress, and proper completion of tasks before the next phase can begin. The work is sequential, unlike other start-up methodologies; the success of the methodology highly depends upon proper planning and quality work done at the front-end of the project. Ultimately, the methodology works best if parameters are clear from the start and project managers know how to navigate the relatively complex phased approach to project coordination. The waterfall methodology follows a sequential pattern and is reliant upon knowing the specific requirements or expectations for a project, setting deadlines, and having clear objectives or outcomes. Traditionally, the model has 5 phases: Requirements and analysis: The waterfall model assumes that all project requirements are understood upfront. Normally a project manager meets with customers or stakeholders to get a detailed understanding of their expectations or requirements for a project. From there, the project manager works out the plan for completion. Ideally the requirements are understood such that the customer does not have to be consulted again until after the project’s completion. These requirements include everything from the costs, risks, assumptions, success metrics, and timelines for completion. Design: The design phase is typically broken up into two phases: logical design and physical design. The logical design subphase is used to theorize possible solutions to solve the project’s requirements. The physical design subphase transforms those possible solutions into a concrete plan. In other words, software developers agree on a programming language, creating layouts and data models in order to design technical solutions to the problems set out by the project requirements. Implementation: Using the designs created in phase two, programmers code applications based on the project requirements. There is minimal testing in this phase which may result in revisiting the design phase, but the bulk of the testing comes after. Verification or Testing: Tests are run to check the software for bugs, confirm that all requirements have been met, and that the product is ready to be released to the customer. Often project managers will prepare user case scenarios and design documents to help with the testing process. Deployment and Maintenance: Once the completed project has been released to the customer, the maintenance phase begins. Project managers will stay tuned for feedback from users, respond to potential defects in the product, and release additional updates to ensure customer satisfaction. Advantages of the waterfall methodology Clear: The waterfall methodology is straightforward, has very specific sequential steps, and is a great way to clarify roles and expectations of designers, programmers, and other team members from the beginning of a project. Consistent: Customer expectations are known from the beginning, meaning customers will not change requirements mid production. Simplicity in training : The waterfall model is reliant upon documentation and clearly outlines the expectations of the project. That said, if someone new joins the team, it’s easy to read through the project requirements and get up to speed on the project. Easy to manage: The linear structure allows for easy management of the project because the steps are outlined upfront and once completed they rarely need to be revisited. Total cost and Deadlines: Knowing the requirements allows for an accurate total cost estimate from the project’s initiation. Similarly, having a clear timeline from the beginning of the project allows team members to effectively plan their time and complete their clearly defined tasks. Disadvantages of the waterfall methodology Flexibility : Once the project begins, it’s difficult to adapt to new customer requests or changes in the market. A commitment to a steady plan compromises the speed and agility of a product and makes changes costly and more time-consuming. Requirements are often limited: Customers do not always know what they fully want on the front end of a project. Likewise, the requirements outlined may not reflect real user needs. However, that feedback will not be received until after the product’s deployment. Delays: If one phase becomes delayed, the entire timeline is offset. This can lead to rushed decisions at the end of the project. One phase at a time: The waterfall methodology requires that each phase must be completed before the next phase begins. This could become limiting if there are tasks from different phases that could be happening simultaneously. Thus, the sequential structure could lead to projects taking longer than necessary. How to Decide if the Waterfall Methodology is the Right Choice for your Startup The waterfall methodology works best in situations where project requirements are understood upfront and clients have a clear understanding of the scope of the project. In other words, this methodology is best used to manage projects that are simple, predictable and straightforward . These projects should be short term and be carried out in areas where expertise is widely available. Similarly, the waterfall methodology and its usefulness depends on the culture of your start-up and the scope of the projects you’re typically working on. First and foremost, if your start-up doesn’t have a project manager who wants to manage a controlled timeline in a focused way, then the waterfall methodology is not for your company. The model requires someone who can really analyze and understand their customer’s needs , hold their team to deadlines, and move the project along in a relatively strict manner. If your workplace is more collaborative, likes to build reflection and adaptation into everyday work, or if the tasks you normally work on require a more user-centric focus, then this methodology may not be for you. Additionally, the success of the waterfall methodology depends on the stage that your start-up is in and the resources that you have on hand. For newer start-ups or for ones looking to deliver a very specific or complicated product, the waterfall model is great in that it provides predictability. That said, predictability is undoubtedly something investors look for in a start-up. Showing that you have the resources, control, and clear plan to execute is important in pitching your business and securing customers. On the other hand, if your customers are unsure on their specific needs, if collaboration and flexibility are crucial to your team, or you’re looking to work in an unpredictable or constantly changing field, then the waterfall methodology may not be the model to choose. Luckily, there are many other project management methods that can be utilized. Alternative start-up methodologies The Agile start-up methodology: The agile start-up methodology was developed in order to address the shortcomings of the waterfall methodology. Unlike the waterfall methodology, the agile methodology allows for regular customer input during the process. It’s a cyclical methodology that insists on repeating development and testing phases in order to achieve greater customer satisfaction.The agile methodology emphasizes teamwork and collaboration, prioritizing flexibility and adaptability over a strict timeline and control over the project. Design thinking : Design thinking is an approach that’s utilized in situations where problems are ill-defined or unknown. It’s a 5-step nonlinear process that fosters deep thinking to better understand users, redefine potential problems, and create innovative solutions that are then tested before implementation. Lean Start-up : Lean Start-up is a data based approach to developing and analyzing product ideas. Its goal is to manage or reduce the risk inherent to start-ups. Their approach is speed: the faster the product is released, the faster we’ll gain valuable user feedback. The insights provided by users will determine the necessary changes in the business strategy. Thus, the lean start-up approach is one committed to adaptability, user input, and data based evidence. Determining the development methodology Undoubtedly in the world of software development today, flexibility and adaptability in the face of user feedback is crucial. However, there are still many situations in which the waterfall methodology has proved useful. In projects where there are clear requirements, distinct structures, and unsurprising outcomes, the sequential model provides clear benefits to start-ups. In situations with higher uncertainty, one might opt for an alternative methodology. Thus, it’s upon us to better understand the methodologies at hand and utilize them to increase our competitive advantage in order to thrive in the competitive world of start-ups.

Congratulations! You’ve done what might have felt like the impossible at some point and successfully completed your Ironhack bootcamp . But now what?! No worries, your support from Ironhack doesn’t stop here. Ironhack’s Career Services: Careerhack As a graduate of our bootcamps, you’ve been through Careerhack - but that’s not over quite yet. Although Stage 2.2 of Job Hunting begins during the bootcamp, connecting you with hiring partners that are looking for new talent can occur even after graduation if you haven’t found the perfect fit just yet. And because we’re focused on making the best possible match for both you and the company, we take the following preferences into account when scheduling interviews: Location Language Hard & soft skills Experience Next steps for getting into tech If you’re stuck and trying to decide the right path for you, follow these five steps: Gain experience : getting a job in tech for the first time can seem like a challenge, but we promise that it’s possible. But if you’re having trouble getting your foot in the door, try to find n ew ways to gain experience , be it as an online freelancer, helping your professor with a project, or working with a local business. Build your portfolio/CV : while you were at Ironhack, you completed projects that were designed to both give you real world experience and help create a portfolio for interviews. Remember that many jobs in tech require a wide range of skills, so don’t be afraid to mention other job experiences on your resume. Find a mentor : there’s no better way to get started in tech than with a mentor that can share real experiences and tips and tricks. If you don’t know where to start, try reaching out to your Ironhack teacher or forming connections on LinkedIn. Network : just like with finding a mentor, networking may be your secret weapon. Reach out to any connections you may have, fellow Ironhack alumni , or attend online or local tech conferences to make connections. Polish your hard and soft skills : tech professionals need a lot more than just coding experience; they need to know how to work on a team, problem solve, and much more. Ensuring that both your hard and soft skills are ready for action will make you a more attractive candidate. Your Tech Career You’ve landed that job in tech - congratulations! And maybe after some time on the job, you’re looking to try something new, like a different position . Or you’ve made such great progress that you’re looking for a promotion . These two moves require different processes and can be tough conversations to navigate, so make sure you follow our advice. Next steps for seeking an internal move You may be asking yourself why you would want to request an internal move, but it’s quite simple and could be for any of the following reasons: You think you’re better suited for a different role You don’t see growth opportunities in your current role You see an opening in a different department or role and are intrigued Do any of these ring a bell? We thought so. Now it’s time to ask your boss for the transfer. It can seem quite daunting at first, but it’s actually quite common. Take note of these tips: Do your research: you’re going to have to show your boss that you are prepared for the transfer and that it will truly benefit the company. And most importantly, that you’re equipped for the change. Highlight any of your skills that would be useful and what your new trajectory would be. Gauge current need : even the most perfect transfer request can be denied if there’s simply no opening or need for a new person in that role. Timing is everything; if you wait until there’s an opportunity, there’s a better chance your boss will approve it. Be very specific : you need to show your boss that you’re serious and that will be communicated by sharing exactly what you want; the more you have prepared, the better your request will be received. Asking about moving to a specific role and not just a general department will also help your case. Keep it professional: we hope your boss won’t take it personally, but it’s possible. By approaching the situation from a strictly professional perspective, you’ll eliminate the risk of it seeming like a personal attack on your current boss and team. Next steps for getting a promotion On the other hand, if you’ve been at your role for a while and are looking to get ahead, it might be time to ask for a promotion . If you can answer yes to any of these questions, it’s time to consider it: Have you been in your role for a bit and want more responsibilities? Are your current tasks beyond what’s listed in your job description? Are you ready for a new challenge? Can you build a good case for yourself? Once you’ve decided that it’s time to ask for a promotion, it’s time for the hard part: actually asking for the promotion! It’s a nerve-wracking yet completely normal part of the working world. Follow these tips: Prepare your case : when you approach your meeting with your boss, it’s absolutely essential to have a solid case. Explain to your boss why you’re deserving of a promotion, how you’re ready for new responsibilities, and your professional goals. Don’t compare yourself to others : it can be tempting to point out your capabilities as compared to co-workers, but that can be a bit dangerous. Instead of putting yourself up against colleagues, stick to just describing why you’re the best person for the promotion. Choose your timing carefully: there are most definitely good and bad times to ask for a promotion. Is the company going through layoffs? Not the best time. Bringing it up at your annual or semi-annual review will give your boss ample time to consider your request. Balance being flexible and firm : it’s possible that your boss rejects your request and that’s okay. Learn from that experience and come back even more prepared the next time. However, it’s crucial to know both your worth and value; try to come up with an actionable plan with your boss to plan a promotion. And if your boss is firmly against the idea, maybe it’s time to look elsewhere. Do you think you’re ready to make the next step in your professional journey? Whether it’s an internal move or a promotion, your experience at Ironhack will help you be prepared for whatever that next challenge might be.

For many of us, technology is such an integral part of our daily lives that we forget what it can achieve. But throughout history, technology in all its forms has facilitated daily tasks, connected the world in ways previously unimagined, and transformed the way we function. And in this blog, we’ll talk about how technology makes our daily lives easier and more interconnected and what to expect from tech in the future. Technology in our Daily Lives It’s so ingrained in everything we do that we might not realize it, but technology plays a crucial role in our day-to-day lives . Take a look at some of the technologies we use daily: Setting up reminders Tracking budgets/bills/investments Online shopping Virtual appointments Accessing information easily Is it starting to ring a bell? We thought so. Technology has advanced to a point where it’s simplifying the most mundane tasks, giving us more time to spend on things we want to do. Technology makes life easier Have you considered what life would be like without technology? How about without access to all the information you need at any second? Probably not. Here are just a few technologies that have made our lives easier: Digital communication : this is probably the most common aspect that people consider when thinking about the influence of technology on our society. Thanks to our constant state of interconnectedness, we’re able to communicate with anyone across the world in a matter of seconds. Studying abroad? No worries, you can call and text your family and friends just as if you were still home. Information access : what would you do if you couldn’t just reach into your pocket and Google any question you had? Or challenge yourself with daily trivia questions? But technology’s influence on information access isn’t limited to just this: simple access to information has also given us the ability to expand our education through online courses, chat rooms, virtual learning, instructional videos, and much, much more. Money management : we might not think of technologies like the debit and credit card as lifechanging, but they heavily reduced our dependence on cash. And now we have bank apps, automated payment scheduling, budgeting tools, investment tips, and much more that all help us improve our money management and knowledge of the financial market. Healthcare access : medical technologies have absolutely skyrocketed over the past few years, spurred both by the pandemic and new research. No time to go to the doctor? No problem - you can now have a remote consultation and receive doctor letters, prescriptions, medical records, and much more on your computer or phone. The digitalization of medicine also means that our records are easily accessible, facilitating communication between different providers. Exercise motivation : no time to go to the gym? Or is your monthly fee at the gym a little too high for the time you have to use it? The vast majority of gyms and studios now offer 100% online classes, letting you use your own space to complete running, bodyweight, or HIIT classes on your own. And for those with a bit of space at home, the pandemic saw an increase in at-home exercise bikes. There are tons more reasons why technology has played such a crucial role in making our lives easier, but these five show how normal this technolog has become; the reality is that a lot of these are relatively new technologies. The Benefits of Technology Even though it’s easy to see the benefits of technology in our daily lives, the truth is that tech has had a profound effect on the world as a whole - and will continue to do so . Technology for security and safety There are positives and negatives to everything, and the safety and security industry knows that well. From a business standpoint, technological advances in security can protect sensitive data; from a personal perspective, technological advances in safety such as security cameras and facial recognition technology can keep ourselves and our personal information safe. As the world becomes even more connected, the risk of cyberthreats increases as well. Cybersecurity can help fight against cyberattacks, identify theft, data breaches, and much more. Technology for understanding data We have tons of data and information at our fingertips, but if we can’t use it, it’s useless. Technologies like Python, SQL, Tableau, and more will help you take the data you’ve gathered and use it to make smart decisions . Behind every decision is data and knowing how to interpret data is key. Technology for understanding the user Even the most innovative and creative technology is useless if it’s not designed specifically to meet the needs of a user. Have you ever stopped browsing a website because its design was frustrating or hard to understand? Understanding the user and what drives their decision is what helps us take tech to the next level. Technology for advancement The rapidly expanding and evolving technology market means that we have to be on top of the newest technologies at all times. Knowing how to create a high-quality website or app for a new product or service will not only help you stay on top of what’s going on in the tech world, but also help fill gaps that currently exist. The Future of Technology Technology has advanced significantly in the past few years, but it’s not slowing down anytime soon. What should you look out for? We have a few ideas: Increased innovation: keep an eye out for even faster Internet speeds, more users, an increase in AI technologies, and much more. Expanded learning opportunities : with the simply enormous amount of information out there, our chances to learn and share our knowledge will increase. Amplified importance on IT: as IT departments start taking responsibility for making decisions thanks to the wide range of data they produce, the IT department will play an even more important role. What do you think is going to happen in the future of tech? Will it continue to help the world advance and stay connected? We think so and that’s why there’s never been a better time to jump into a career in tech . If you’re interested in seeing what a future in tech holds for you, start your application for one of Ironhack’s bootcamps here .

When looking for a dream job in tech, it’s important to find the right tech communities. These are groups of people who share your interests and can help you learn new things, make connections, and find opportunities. There are lots of different tech communities out there, but here are two that we think are especially important. GitHub is a community of developers who share code repositories or collections of code files. This is a great place to find open source code for your project or find collaborators for a new project. GitHub also has an amazing job board where you can search for jobs and read reviews from current and former employees. Product Hunt is a community of product enthusiasts who share new products they’ve discovered or created. This is a great place to find new tools to use in your projects or just to get inspired by what other people are creating. Product Hunt also has an amazing job board where you can search for jobs and read reviews from current and former employees. Let's take a closer look at each of these communities so that you can understand the benefits of each. GitHub - an In-Depth Look GitHub is an indispensable and invaluable asset for any tech worker looking to further their career. Launched in 2007, it's a powerful software platform that facilitates collaboration between teams or individual users by allowing them to share code and data, run tests, and even review each other's changes in real time. Currently, according to GitHub , there are over 65 million developers using the site . As such, GitHub has become a must-have for anyone searching for tech jobs that require coding skills. Not only does it enable developers to show potential employers real-world examples of their skill set, but it can also be used as a platform to showcase portfolios and top-rated projects with which they are involved. Additionally, the easy accessibility of collaborative commits on public repositories can build networks of both learners and mentors who have the same programming interests and language experiences that may lead to additional job opportunities. According to Shawn Plummer, CEO, The Annuity Expert , "GitHub is a must-have for tech professionals who want to stay ahead of the curve. Not only does it allow you to showcase your coding skills, but it also provides an excellent platform for networking and collaboration." All in all, GitHub is an excellent development platform for aspiring tech professionals who are serious about taking their career in technology to the next level. Product Hunt - an In-Depth Look Product Hunt, which was launched in 2013, is easily the go-to spot for tech industry enthusiasts. By providing an open platform for discovering, discussing, and showcasing new products and services across a variety of industries, Product Hunt does more than just notify users of product announcements; it has become a dynamic online community where users can actually connect with the people behind them. For job seekers in the tech industry, this is hugely beneficial as they can use Product Hunt to both find new opportunities and make meaningful connections with potential employers. According to Product Hunt , as of November 2021, there were over 3.8 million users of the platform. From engaging in discussions around a given product to connecting directly with relevant influencers or companies, there's no denying that Product Hunt has created a valuable space where employers are likely to find potential employees. Michael Nemeroff, CEO & Co-Founder, Rush Order Tees , says, "Product Hunt is an amazing resource for tech industry professionals and job seekers. It's a great way to stay up-to-date on the latest trends, as well as find new opportunities or make meaningful connections." How These Communities Can Help In Your Job Search Joining online communities like GitHub and Product Hunt can be an effective way for tech job seekers to increase their visibility and gain access to the latest industry trends. By engaging in conversations, getting involved in projects, and creating profiles and portfolios of their work, job seekers can establish themselves as forward-thinking professionals who are invested in the success of the industry. Members of these communities also have a great opportunity to network with tech professionals and employers, potentially opening doors to interviews or even career opportunities. Additionally, staying up-to-date on the latest technologies by exploring the resources available in these communities can help those looking for tech jobs sharpen their skills and show employers they have what it takes to become a valuable member of the team. According to Jim Pendergast, Senior Vice President, altLINE Sobanco , "GitHub and Product Hunt are great options for tech job seekers who want to stay connected with the industry and find new opportunities. Joining these communities gives job seekers a chance to showcase their skills and make meaningful connections with companies they might not have access to otherwise." GitHub Membership Options GitHub offers a variety of membership options for individuals and organizations. The free plan is ideal for individuals who want to learn and build their own projects, as well as small teams or organizations that need an efficient way to collaborate. It includes unlimited public and private repositories, automatic version updates, 500MB of packages storage, community support, and more. The team plan is designed for larger teams and organizations with advanced collaboration needs. It includes everything from the free membership plus the following: Protected branches Access to GitHub codespaces Draft pull requests 2GB of packages storage Pages and wikis Finally, the Enterprise plan is designed for enterprises that have specific security and compliance requirements. This plan provides enterprise-level support with flexible deployment options such as on-premise or cloud deployment models. It provides advanced security features such as encryption at rest and user access control policies to ensure confidential data isn't compromised. Additionally, it provides advanced audit logging so administrators can monitor system activities across all users in the organization. Product Hunt Membership Options Joining Product Hunt is free and you can get started by simply signing up with an email address. Once signed up, users have access to the platform's vast library of products and can post reviews, comment on existing posts, join chats, and discuss topics related to tech. Product Hunt also offers a Pro membership plan, called Founder Club , which gives you access to different deals from around 32 different companies that are extremely useful to startups of all types. Product Hunt also has a free newsletter which consists of a daily digest of products recommended by users on the platform. Tips for Success To be successful in these tech communities, you should focus on building relationships, establishing yourself as an expert in your field, and actively engaging with the community. Here are a few tips to get you started: Be active The best way to get noticed in these tech communities is by being active and engaging with other members. This means joining conversations, asking questions, offering helpful advice, and responding to comments. This will help you build relationships with other members, as well as show potential employers your technical knowledge and expertise. Remember, however, that being active doesn't mean tweeting every hour or posting dozens of comments. Instead, focus on quality over quantity and make sure the conversations you join are meaningful. Be helpful One of the best ways to stand out in tech communities is by helping others. If someone is having a problem with their code, offer advice. If someone is looking for work, recommend companies. Being helpful and generous with your knowledge will help you stand out from the crowd and build better relationships with other members. Follow the rules An often overlooked tip is to read and follow the rules of each community. Each one has different norms, etiquette, and guidelines that you should be familiar with before participating. Failure to abide by these rules can result in getting banned from the community, so it's important to take the time to become familiar with them before joining the conversation. Participate in discussions The tech communities on GitHub and Product Hunt are full of conversations about the latest trends, technologies, and products. Participating in these discussions is a great way to stay up to date with the industry and meet other professionals who share your interests. Make sure you also take part in discussions related to your field of expertise. This will help establish you as an expert and show potential employers that you know what you're talking about. In addition, you can use these conversations to learn from other experienced professionals and gain valuable insights into the industry. Contribute to projects on GitHub GitHub is a great place to showcase your skills by contributing to open source projects. Not only will this give you the opportunity to work with real-life developers, but it will also give you a chance to show potential employers the type of work of which you are capable. It's important to remember that open source projects are often complex, so make sure you have the right skills and experience before attempting to contribute. You should also research the project thoroughly and read through any documentation available to make sure you understand what is expected of you. Use Product Hunt's upvote feature Finally, Product Hunt offers an upvote feature that allows users to “like” products they find interesting. This is a great way to show your appreciation for projects that you find interesting and to help them gain more visibility on the platform. This is also a great way to show potential employers your taste in tech products and demonstrate your knowledge of the industry. Final Thoughts GitHub and Product Hunt are both great tech communities that offer a wealth of information, insights, and opportunities. With so much to learn and discover, they are a great place to start if you're looking to get involved in the tech industry. Just remember to be active, participate in discussions, contribute to projects on GitHub, and use Product Hunt's upvote feature . Doing so will help you build relationships, establish yourself as an expert in your field, and gain valuable insights into the tech industry.

Everyone’s heard of tech conferences and the truth is they’re valuable resources for those looking to network, learn, travel, and stay up to date with the industry . Not convinced? We’re confident we can show you why: You can learn : conferences are full of information, introducing you to the industry’s latest trends, things happening in other sectors, and what is expected from the future. Don’t miss the opportunity to expand your knowledge. You can make new connections : tech conferences are absolutely exploding with likeminded, ready to connect individuals. There’s truly no better way to meet new people and look for support; make sure you talk to as many people as possible and keep note of who could be a good resource later on. You can find new partnerships, jobs, or employees : are you looking for your next opportunity? Or maybe for a business partner in a new startup? Or even looking to bring new, talented tech professionals to your team? Tech conferences are bursting with people who are eager to work together. You can introduce your ideas : tech conferences boast a wide variety of topics and this is your time to shine. If you see a roundtable discussion that’s interesting to you, make sure you attend. Then contribute what you know to the conversation. You can get ideas from others : sometimes you get stuck and can’t move past a problem or issue. Conferences are a great time to share your work with others and receive helpful feedback and critiques from industry experts. We’ve convinced you, right? We knew it! Check out these tech conferences in 2023, sorted by region, and start planning your next trip. Tech Conferences in 2023 Tech Conferences in Europe Business & Data Intelligence Minds - Berlin, Germany From 26 to 28 February, Berlin will host a conference focusing on technology and business intelligence, bringing together thought leaders in the sector to transform the way we handle data. Mobile World Congress - Barcelona, Spain Get your bags packed for Barcelona! From 27 February to 2 March, Barcelona will host the Mobile World Conference, focusing on robotics, blockchain, and more. This year, this famous conference will host CEOs of the following companies: Lockheed Martin, Orange, Telefónica, and the Ericsson Group. South Summit - Madrid, Spain Ready to learn about the new technologies that are driving the sector? From 7 to 9 June , head to the Spanish capital to take on the theme Today 2030, explore the future of technology, and study sustainable practices in the industry. London Tech Week - London, UK Join the 10th London Tech Week and spend a week in this capital city surrounded by entrepreneurs looking to break into tech. Just like Madrid’s event, this conference will focus on the future and how technology is transforming both business and society. Interested? Head to London from 12 to 16 June 2023. Viva Tech - Paris, France Europe’s biggest tech conference is coming to Paris from 14 to 17 June ! Leaders from companies like LinkedIn, Snap INC, Binance, and Ethereum will be joining the more than 300,000 attendees (virtual and in-person!) as they take part in fun technology challenges and share innovative ideas with those in attendance. The Next Web Conference - Amsterdam, Netherlands If you’re ready to get into tech, you have a date in Amsterdam from 15 to 16 June . The Next Web Conference is the place to be if you’re looking to kickstart your career; recruiters from Meta, Google, HSBC, and more are there to meet candidates, host panels, offer workshops and much more. Are you in? Web Summit - Lisbon, Portugal Can’t make room for a conference until later in the year? No problem! From 13 to 16 November , Lisbon will host what the New York Times called “a grand conclave of the tech industry’s highest priests.” Companies like Apple, Mars, Facebook, Microsoft, Spotify, and many more will come together to share innovation in digital transformation and learn from one another. Tech Conferences in North America Tampa Cybersecurity Conference - Tampa, Florida Interested in the cybersecurity industry and finding out what’s been going on? Or do you want to hear from industry experts? Head to Tampa on 2 March to stay up to date with the latest in the sector. TECHSPO - New York City, USA Join big names like ABC and CNN in NYC from 20 to 21 April as the latest trends in technology come to the Big Apple. The world’s biggest companies will be showcasing their newest innovations: are you going to miss it?! eMerge Americas 2023 - Miami, Florida This international conference is bringing together leaders from across the globe to discuss how technology is changing our lives and how we can benefit from these changes. We’ll see you in Miami from 20 - 21 April! Tech Conferences in South America The Green Expo - Mexico City, Mexico For the 30th year, Mexico City’s The Green Expo will welcome international brands looking to present their innovative technology solutions for the environmental, energy, and renewable energy sectors. Want to be part of the change? From 5 to 7 September , you have a date in Mexico City. DigiMarCon Brazil - São Paulo, Brazil Looking to network, learn from experts, and check out what’s happening in other sectors? DigiMarCon Brazil is the perfect place to learn about the latest technologies in a wide range of industries and discover how technology can help advance practically any area. São Paulo is waiting for you from 6 - 7 November. Remote Tech Conferences Can’t make it to one of the above conferences? Many have remote attendance options, but if that FOMO gets too strong, check out one of these completely remote conferences in 2023: Women in Tech Global Conference 2023 - Online From 9 to 12 May , check out the world’s largest conference for women in tech and learn from industry experts. It will include breakout sessions, panels, keynote speakers, workshops, networking, and much more. The Product Conference - Online This virtual conference for software product managers on 18 May will dive into the world of software building, helping you get a better understanding of market needs and make connections with professionals from around the world. Whew, we have quite the year ahead of us! If you’re looking to make 2023 your year and truly dive into tech, you know what to do.

A new year starts and we're excited to see what the tech sector is going to bring for us. While we can't know the future, we've consulted with some of the Ironhack team to give you our predictions and tech trends to watch in 2023. Here is what our team had to say: Don’t be put off by the tech layoffs story - digital skills are still in demand Recent news has been dominated by layoffs and hiring freezes in the tech sector. The reality is that the digital sector will still face a skills gap that is much bigger than the layoff crisis. From an Ironhack perspective, the number of students joining its courses and company hiring partners has not seen a decline. José Maria Garrett, Global Outcomes Lead at Ironhack, explains: "The demand for digital skills from companies in the tech sector has not declined in the last quarter of 2022. Even in a more risk-averse economic environment, tech employment continues to increase because of that demand for skills. In reality, the biggest change we're seeing is that mid and senior talent profiles are changing jobs less frequently vs. the abnormal behaviour we saw during and immediately after COVID. We have shifted from "the great resignation" into a new stage: "the great renegotiation." Garrett continues: “It's a great time for junior talent to leverage new skills development and access the tech sector within more traditional industries which have an increased demand for those digital skills.  It also provides an opportunity for scale-ups and SMEs to acquire great talent that might not otherwise have been available to them whilst employed in larger tech companies.” Generalists vs. specialists shifting in tech organisations Felipe Rocha, Lead Teacher in Data Analytics at Ironhack, explains a shift from specialists to generalists. According to Felipe, “The job market is changing and we can now see generalists thriving as data professionals. The wide range of knowledge that Ironhack bootcamps equips students with improves their ability to make connections that specialists might not. Having a professional that is capable of "wearing different hats" and navigating the vast world of data can be a big win, especially for smaller tech companies and teams”. Gabriel Pizzolante, UK Growth Marketer at Ironhack, adds: "At Ironhack our bootcamps prepare people for a wide range of skills within the field that they choose, making it easy to become a more generalist professional with the option to specialise if that’s what they require in future. For example, our Web Development bootcamp equips them with a full-stack development skill set that can then be developed towards front-end or back-end development in any industry of their choice. Our UX/UI Design bootcamp provides concepts and frameworks of user experience, user interface and basics of front-end development. These can then be used in a multitude of roles as the Ironhack graduate finds opportunities and gains more experience.” Bootcamp uptake will exponentially increase not just from career changers but from school leavers Skills bootcamps like Ironhack have always been a great alternative for career-changers to launch a whole new career in a very short timeframe. The intensity and the level of commitment required offers an effective alternative to having to go back to university to pursue a dream. Pizzolante explains: “While we are very focused on the career-changer, we are starting to see more applicants who are dropping out of university because it wasn’t right for them.   What we’re observing is that Gen Z is taking a new approach to higher education. They value professional development at a faster pace over and above a traditional career path.  In 2023, we expect to see an increase in school leavers taking bootcamps as a fast-track alternative in just nine weeks, as opposed to taking years to study for an undergraduate degree.” Employers will prioritise spending on upskilling career starters and reskilling existing teams over hiring senior tech professionals Over the past decade the more experienced tech professionals have been in high demand, making it very hard to retain them. With changing market conditions, we predict that more companies will shift the focus to invest in their existing teams to develop them in-house, foster loyalty and retain them for longer. By having the right infrastructure, more employees within companies will be able to shift careers to technical roles and there will be more opportunities for bootcamp graduates to gain the development they need within a tech company. When it comes to reskilling, according to Jan Molendijk, Lead Teacher in Data Analytics at Ironhack, “In today's super competitive job market, with quiet and not-so-quiet quitting, employers have no choice but to use the potential they already have in house. It is easier and cheaper to retrain employees that are competent professionals in newer technology, than it is to find new people that have had recent training in that new technology. The big plus is that these people already speak the language of the company. And this is also a win for the employees, they not only keep their job, but gain valuable new skills, knowledge and experience”. Energy-efficient technology design will become more popular The world is facing an energy crisis, affecting not only the UK but most countries around the world. Saving on energy is increasingly a priority.  For this reason, the use of technology should also be a consideration. According to Ironhack’s course leaders, developers are being wiser about creating and optimising code that does not consume high levels of energy in every-day or weak devices. Mathieu Subin, Lead Teacher in Web Development at Ironhack, comments, “The way code is being optimised for use is more similar to old technologies like we would see on cartridge games decades ago. This may lead to new design patterns and/or paradigms”.