The Ironhack Blog

With a career in the tech world, you have to stay up to date with everything that’s going on around you in the world of computers, social media, and IT. This includes knowing about the current status of the economy and the stocks that could affect the tech companies that you are working for. It’s an important part of the job because it can potentially affect your salary , the atmosphere of the workplace, and the safety of you and your coworkers’ positions. Right now, the tech sector is where big money and lots of jobs are, but their growth has stagnant in the last year. The group of tech companies that make up the name "FAANG" have been the leaders in this growth, but is that trend still going strong or has the climb become an uphill battle that has met its match ? How is FAANG dealing with a market that is expected to end up in a recession before 2023 meets its end? We'll get to all that, but first things first: what is FAANG? What is FAANG? If I were to ask you to think of the biggest companies out there, which ones would you mention? Probably companies like Google, Amazon or Facebook would be the first few you mention, and without a doubt at least one of the members of FAANG would come to mind. FAANG, so aptly named by Bob Lang back in 2013 and later popularized by Jim Cramer, is a group of the biggest tech companies and refers more specifically to their stocks and status as influential powers in the market. These letters stand for Facebook (currently Meta), Amazon, Apple, Netflix and Google (currently Meta); unsurprisingly, these companies are some of the most powerful giants in the tech world with major influence on what happens in almost everything related to the economy. Let’s take a look at what is going on with them now. FAANG’s Influence Did you say growth?! Unless you have been pulling a Thoreau for the past decade, you have most certainly heard of these five companies without flipping to Bloomberg - and with good reason. For the past ten or so years, they have become staple services that almost everyone uses , and as a result, they have seen consistent substantial increases to their stock prices and unending growth . So much so, they also constitute a portion of the S&P 500 Index, which is used as an indicator of the health of the stock market. This means that since FAANG accounts for a sizable portion of the index, their weight in the system shows that these companies are connected to the overall economy’s health . But sometimes having all this influence can be detrimental . Bubbles have to burst Their impact on the stock market is significant, and some experts fear that this could become a problem in the future due to their potential as a bubble . A bubble in the stock market means that the value of the good has risen above the actual product’s real value and when the bubble bursts , there is a sudden decrease in value . Some examples of a bubble come would be the infamous tulip frenzy of the 1600s , where the prices of tulip bulbs soared until one day a buyer didn’t show up to receive a shipment in a trade-based economy, which caused a major drop in value and a huge panic across Europe. Or another great example would be the US housing crisis of the 2000s . In both cases, when the bubbles of highly influential and overpriced products burst, the prices of those products plummeted as a result. The rest of the market was impacted as well and as a whole, struggled to recover from the shock. Why is this important? Bubbles pop and if you consider FAANG to be one, then it’s possible that they are nearing the point of bursting soon . Unfortunately, this is evident when looking at the 2022 fiscal year. The tech industry has taken a big hit during 2022 ; in particular, Netflix and Meta have dropped by 52% and 65%, respectively. Although other FAANG members like Amazon and Apple have had their fair share of problems with declining prices as well. A bit of a rough patch There are a few contributing factors to why they have hit a rough patch. During the COVID-19 pandemic, tech companies had the advantage given people were at home on their devices, scrolling around and sharing anything they could get their hands on since there was nothing else they could do. This gave FAANG the opportunity to go on a hiring frenzy, but soon enough, confinement ended and people went out into the world leaving their devices unattended at home and corporations had to continue paying for these new employees. To remedy this mistake, layoffs were on the menu . Not only have they been reducing the number of their staff, but also the number of new, open positions has diminished. In addition, since the 2008 housing crisis, interest rates have remained dramatically low , which in turn has made debt quite cheap, and exponential growth became the name of the game for the past few years for the big tech giants. But now that interest rates are increasing thanks to the Fed, the game is changing , and growth and expansion isn’t the best strategy under these circumstances. The smarter move in this situation is expense management and profitability , which means a strategic shift from their years of making growth their principal aim. All in all, the confidence of investors seems to have tapered off too and with a supposed recession on its way, the future does seem a bit bleak for FAANG. What next? Although these big corporations may have to pull back on the reins a bit in terms of their growth, they will still continue to have a big influence on the world’s economy. The decline in hiring opportunities and the potential bubble burst coming does mean trouble for sure. It may seem like FAANG having issues could end their running streak as tech companies, but if they shift their approach of constant growth, they have the potential to thrive again in the future. For now what does that mean for the tech sector? These companies’ growth has started to slow down and taper off, but there will always be a need for more IT professionals ! As the world comes to depend more and more on technology as a basic life necessity, you can be sure that there will still be plenty of jobs available for anyone looking to work as a computer programmer, website designer, or software developer. If that means working with smaller companies or as a freelancer, the number of opportunities is limitless.

You’re back from holiday and wow, this return is tough. Coming back from a week or two off can be difficult and we get it. Who wants to get back to work after being surrounded by family, friends, good food and maybe a trip? Not us! But life is what it is and it’s time to open your laptop, brew up some coffee, and get back to work. Here’s how. The January Blues: what are they? There’s a few reasons why January can be tough. December (and November, for Americans!) is full of social events, family gatherings, days off, and bright Christmas lights. And as soon as the year changes, everyone heads home, ready to get back to work. There’s fewer exciting events on the horizon to peak your interest and keep your spirits up. And for those in the Northern Hemisphere, the days are short and cold. The effect that the above factors have on you can result in what is known as the January Blues. There are different ways to combat it, both personally and professionally. But first, let’s see if you’re affected by it: You might have the January blues if you… Are feeling sadder than normal Can’t find the motivation for simple tasks Have trouble falling or staying asleep Feel constantly tired It’s totally normal! Here’s how to fight it on a personal level: Get some sunlight Lots of places in the world are lacking abundant sunshine right now, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t get any ! Sunlight naturally boosts our spirits so as soon as you wake up in the morning, open those blinds and let your body soak in the light . If you keep your bedroom or house dark, it’ll be a lot harder to get up and motivated. Find regular patterns Our normal schedules get all messed up during the holiday season and it’s crucial to get back to a routine as soon as possible. Set boundaries with yourself: go to bed by a certain time and get up early. This will help you get back into the swing of things. Prioritize exercise You might be feeling like you’ve put your exercise on the side during the holidays and we completely get it! It’s hard to keep up a normal routine while traveling or attending events, but January is a great time to get back on track . Go slow and incorporate workouts into your daily routine at a manageable pace - you don’t want to overdo it! Try something new Ever heard “new year, new you?” We certainly have and there’s a reason for that: we’re in a new year and many people set resolutions to improve something they’re already doing or try something new. If you’ve been thinking about learning French, why not now? Or if you have always wanted to take a kickboxing class, what are you waiting for? The rush of trying something new can boost your confidence and overall mood. The January Blues at Work There’s nothing like a return to work after the holidays to lower your mood. The January Blues can come on even stronger in the workplace but there are ways to avoid them, or at least lessen their effect. We’ve compiled some ideas here: Take a walk That 8-hour day can feel endless after vacation. Getting some fresh air and taking a walk in the morning or after lunch can help break up your day and get your brain working again. No one can just sit for 8 hours and churn out work; make sure you step away, get a coffee, or take your dog to the park to get a change of scenery. Limit screen time Most of us have jobs that require us to be staring at a computer for the entire day and that can be exhausting, both mentally and physically. So when you’re done with work, try to limit your screen time. Put limits on your phone or TV time to ensure that you’re getting your chores done, spending time with your friends and family, and doing the things you enjoy. Socialize at work As remote work gains popularity, lots of people are working from home, limiting their socialization. It can be hard to motivate yourself to get up early and get to the office, but if you’re feeling the effects of working alone all day, it may help to go in at least once or twice a week. And if you’re in the office full-time, try to eat lunch or grab coffee with co-workers. This will help boost your mood and productivity . Plan for that day There’s nothing worse than sitting down at 9:00 am and realizing all you have ahead of you is 8 hours of work. If you struggle with motivating yourself in the morning, t ry planning something fun or different for after work that will help you get through the day. And it doesn’t have to be something big and exciting - simply ordering takeout from your favorite restaurant or planning to watch a new movie can help improve your mood. Give yourself something to look forward to in the long-term Did you just take vacation over the holidays? Or are your cousin’s Instagram photos from her trip to the beach making you jealous? It’s normal and we totally get it. But planning something in the long-term can help you also get excited for what’s to come and push through these tough first weeks of the year. And again, it doesn’t have to be something huge! If a vacation isn’t in the books for you, think about planning other exciting things, like eating at your favorite restaurant or tickets to a show you've been wanting to see. Listen to your body This might be our most important tip! Only you know what you need and listening to your body is just as important as anything else we’ve mentioned. It’s good to plan on diving right back into the swing of things but if you’re feeling exhausted, cancel a workout or spend a Friday night at home to give yourself time to recharge. Even though we are on vacation, the December holidays can be emotionally and physically challenging and you need to listen to what your body needs. January can feel simultaneously endless and incredibly short and the January Blues can really affect your mood and productivity. But use these tips and tricks and soon you’ll be unstoppable!

You’ve almost completed your studies and are looking at employment options. There’s a lot and you might be thinking that it’s impossible to know what you want. Or maybe you’ve been in the corporate world for a while and are looking for a change. This blog article will help you determine the right place for you. First, let’s define both. Startup: definition and examples “ Startup ” is a word that’s frequently thrown around, but what does it mean? Strictly speaking, it’s a company that’s in its first stages of development , founded by one or more entrepreneurs. They are started to meet a specific market need with the aim of rapidly expanding as the product succeeds in the market. It’s important to remember that 95% of startups fail and 42% of those fail because there is no actual market need for the product or service. Focused on rapid upward growth, startups are fast-moving, constantly changing, and volatile. Here’s a few kinds of startups: Scalable startups : these are typically tech startups that employ the best candidates to secure international and investor funding, turning them into successes. Examples would be Google, Uber, or Facebook. Small business startups : these smaller organizations are founded by regular people, such as hairdressers or bakers, looking to meet local needs. Lifestyle startups : health influencers, fitness instructors, or other lifestyle enthusiasts can offer their services through a small startup. Buyable startups : these startups create a product or service with the goal of being sold to a larger company once they’ve gained traction. Big business startups : larger companies might start startups to continue meeting client demands as the market evolves. Companies: definition and characteristics Companies are more established organizations, with hundreds or even thousands of employees and years of experience in their field. This means that companies tend to move slower, have established hierarchies and business plans, and brand recognition. Here are some key characteristics of established companies : Clear boundaries : as an organization that’s been functioning for a long time, established companies have better work/life balance and there’s a staff that’s big enough to meet needs. This means that you won’t be expected to work multiple jobs or strange hours. Defined goals and metrics : instead of trying to find their place in the market, these companies already have experience and decided goals under their belt. This helps them focus on precisely what is needed, instead of trying to anticipate market needs. Does that clear it up a bit? We hope so. The biggest difference to keep in mind when considering a startup is that everything is up in the air and it’s all hands on deck. If something needs to be done, it needs to be done. And this could give you valuable experience in a wide range of areas, a positive, or cause you lots of stress, a negative. Although we can’t make the decision for you, we can help you weigh your options, considering each factor. And even though we can list out a few advantages and disadvantages, a lot of these factors depend on you personally. Check out the pros, cons, and key things to consider of both startups and established companies below. Pros of working for a startup Access to equity We know that startups have the reputation of being low on funds, but there’s another side to that: many companies offer equity shares in the company to their first employees, something that could become extremely beneficial later on. Flexibility Given that startups can be made up of teams from across the world, flexibility is something most offer. If that’s important to you, a startup may be your best bet. Business needs are always changing in a startup and your responsibilities and hours could as well. Leadership opportunities Startups start out small and that means there’s more work to take on and chances for leadership. They typically have lots of people covering multiple roles, especially at the very beginning; if you are looking to shine, a startup is full of opportunities. Fast growth Startups are known for their hectic schedules due to their need to secure funding and prove their product or service is needed within a limited period of time. This means that if your startup is successful and you’re one of the founding employees, your growth trajectory will be a lot faster and more straightforward than in a corporate scheme. Cons of working for a startup Changing salary It’s not all butterflies and rainbows at startups: 95% of startups fail. This means that your salary, benefits, and altogether job stability will vary considerably depending on the company’s success. Joining a startup is a risk and you need to make sure you can handle being without a job within a short period of time. No mentors Startups are usually small and built from the ground up, meaning there’s little or no upper management to learn from and use as mentors. If you’re just starting out and are looking for clear direction and guidance as you begin your career, you may feel a bit lost without a mentor or growth structure. Other things to consider about working for a startup As we mentioned, there are some factors that we can’t group into “pro” or “con.” The following are aspects that need to be considered on a personal level to see what side they fall into: Smaller teams Startups don’t have to have just 10 employees; some have 50 or more. But when compared to working in a large company with maybe thousands of employees, they can feel much smaller and at a startup, you’d almost certainly be working on a smaller team or even individually. If you like the structure of a large team, a startup may not be for you. Wide range of tasks In a startup, it’s all hands on deck. And even if you’re hired for a certain role, you could be asked to take on different tasks that fall outside what you expected. For some, this could be a fantastic opportunity to get experience in a wide range of tasks but for others could be frustrating and overwhelming. Pros of working for an established company Stability One thing that corporations can offer you is stability and this can be very valuable for those looking to make a more permanent career switch. When you join a startup, you’re aware that the job may not last; on the other hand, established companies usually know what role needs to be filled and why. This means that you’ll have more job security. Structure Some people need strict hours and growth plans in order to be successful and that’s totally normal. Established companies usually have clear and outlined policies such as working hours, vacation policies, onboarding, promotion plans, and more. If you work better with structure, a startup may be too uncertain for you. Brand recognition At the end of the day, what’s on your resume matters. And if you have a well-known company on your resume, it will catch the attention of future recruiters and employers. This doesn’t mean that startups won’t look impressive, but brand recognition is big, especially in the tech industry. Cons of working for an established company Hierarchy Larger and established companies also have more structure when it comes to leadership and promotions; it might be hard to feel like you will play a significant role. This also means there’s a predetermined process for changes, new developments, and anything else that falls outside of what the company’s been doing for years. Slower growth You’ve probably guessed this, but growth in corporations isn’t quick. Even if you’re the best employee, there’s usually a set plan for promotions and pay raises that is based on your time in the company and performance reviews. If you’re looking to shoot up the corporate ladder quickly and gain leadership experience, an established company probably isn’t for you. Other things to consider about working for an established company Specialized role Again, this depends on the person. Larger companies will hire employees for specific roles and your duties and responsibilities will be pre-defined. For those that are sure of what they want to do, this is great and gives you tons of experience in a particular area. However, for those that are unsure or want to try new things, they might feel a little bored. The company culture is already set In a startup, you’re able to help mold the culture to what you think is right. In established companies, the culture is already decided and enforced by a large number of people. Before joining a company, get a feel for the culture and decide if it’s going to be a good fit for you. We hope this article helped you clear up some of your doubts about working for a startup or established company; at Ironhack, we’re here to help you meet your goals and make the right choice for you. Are you looking for a change? Check out our bootcamps today and kickstart your tech career.

Tech tools are an essential way businesses gain a competitive advantage in the tech industry. The tech tools we have at our fingertips are always advancing and should be regularly updated in order to help your company forge ahead in the ever changing tech landscape. Here are some of the latest tech tools to get your hands on in 2023. Tech Tools for Web Development Web development tools have greatly expanded in the last few years and finding the best tools to help with web development is more important than ever. There are a number of softwares, plug-ins and add-ons to help developers save time, improve workflow and take their development abilities to the next level. Here are a few that we’d recommend. Sublime Text Sublime Text is a web development tool that helps with code editing. Its easy-to-use interface, well designed layout, and quick access to files, symbols and lines make it one of the most beloved tools by web developers. The program offers an array of keyboard shortcuts to help make efficient edits and simultaneous changes to multiple selections of code. It can be downloaded for Windows, MAC and Linux. Notable Characteristics: Efficient and Clean Interface: Sublime’s easy-to-use interface is complete with keyboard shortcuts, easy navigation between files, overall multitasker friendly which is huge in the world of web design. Multi-Select Tool: The multi select tool helps make several changes at once without having to individually change each part of the code. The layout has been tweaked to make code navigation more intuitive than ever. Auto-Completion : Provides smart completions of code based on existing code in a project. Its efficiency in this sense is unparalleled. Price Plans offered by Sublime Text: May be downloaded and for free, but a license is required for continued use. Personal License: $99 Website : Sublime Text Chrome DevTools Chrome DevTools is a Google Chrome extension that helps edit and add styles to HTML, troubleshoot your JavaScript, gain information on how a web page is running, and optimize website speed. It’s free, Google releases an update every 6 weeks, and there are already a number of users and an online community to help better take advantage of what the tool offers. Notable Characteristics: Sources Panel Overview: The panel overview allows you to view and edit files, create Snippets, debug JavaScript, and organize workspaces in Chrome DevTools Sources panel. Inspecting and Troubleshooting: Chrome DevTools is known for being able to help fix JavaScript bugs, pause code at the breakpoint, and fix different scenarios as quickly as possible. Performance Features : DevTools allows you to analyze the runtime performance of a webpage, looking specifically at the response, animation and idle phases of your page. Endless Resources: Google releases an update every 6 weeks, there are countless tutorials and information online to help utilize the tools to their full capacity. Price Plans offered by Chrome DevTools: Free Website : Chrome DevTools Cybersecurity Given our reliance upon technology and the vulnerability that comes with our dependency on the Cloud, many businesses consider cyber security one of their top priorities. Companies cannot risk potential financial loss due, interception of company or customer data, nor a damaged reputation as a result of cyber crime. As a result, being aware of the top cyber security tools is more important than ever. Acunetix Acunetix is a cyber security tool designed for small businesses, pentesters and web designers. Acunetix is used to scan websites and web apps for vulnerabilities. The product tests for over 7k potential security risks at record speeds. It has become a top rated tool by industry experts. Notable Characteristics: Security Analytics: Acunetix scans everything from simple web pages to password-protected areas in order to find potential vulnerabilities in web applications. Solution Based: After a lightning-fast scan, Acunetix provides actionable results confirming which vulnerabilities are real so that they can be fixed before they become issues. Integration: Acunetix can be integrated with current systems and immediately scans as you build so that issues are caught before they end up in production. Price Plans offered by Acunetix: Custom Pricing: Get a quote from Acunetix. Website: Acunetix Perimeter 81 Perimeter 81 is an all-in-one cloud based security network management tool. The platform protects user traffic and endpoints, helps create custom, scalable network access policies, and integrates local and cloud resources. Perimeter 81 provides user-centric security through Identity Providers, 2FA, Single Sign-On and granular access policies. Notable Characteristics: Total Network Visibility: Perimeter 80 offers integrated security across local and cloud environments. User-Centric Access : Perimeter 80 utilizes identity providers to help define users and create access rules for network segments. Multi-Layered Security: Perimeter 81 enforces the use of encryption, 2FA and Single Sign-On to access resources. Full VPN Encryption: Always-on encryption ensures devices are unable to access sensitive corporate resources without first connecting through Perimeter 81. Price Plans offered by Perimeter 81: Perimeter 81 Essentials: $8 per user per month Perimeter 81 Premium: $12 per user per month Perimeter 81 Premium Plus: $16 per user per month Perimeter 81 Enterprise: Custom pricing Website : Perimeter 81 SecPod SanerNow SecPod SanerNow is a cyber hygiene platform that offers active risk management and cyber attack prevention. The tool scans for miscalculations, vulnerabilities and other potential cyber risks and provides methods for remediation. It’s built for use by small to large businesses. Notable Characteristics: World’s Largest Built in Vulnerability Database: SecPod SanerNow helps mitigate risks with comprehensive scans based on their homegrown SCAP feed with over 160,000 vulnerability checks. Their feed has been built in hand with over a decade of security research. Vulnerability Scans: SecPod SanerNow offers real time, on demand, and continuous security scans and can detect risks in under 5 minutes. These scans can also be scheduled. Integration : SanerNow’s tools are supported by all major operating systems like Wingos, MAC, Linux and over 350 third-part applications. This allows for greater security scans and reduces vulnerability to exposure on a larger scale. Price Plans offered by SecPod SanerNow: Custom Pricing: Get a Quote from SecPod SanerNow Website : SecPod SanerNow Data Analytics Data analysis without a doubt plays a huge role in decision making processes for businesses today. As data collection expands, the tools to help gather insight from that data equally grow. Here are a couple of the tools that we would recommend for 2023. Tableau: Tableau is a data visualization tool used to create data dashboards and worksheets. It offers unparalleled visual data representations, is interactive and quickly analyzes large amounts of data. Its main drawback is that Tableau does not offer a scripting layer meaning that it’s limited when it comes to pre-processing data or building more complex calculations. Notable Characteristics: Visual Analytics: Tableau helps people and organizations make the most out of their data through data visualization. It’s considered the most popular data visualization tool in the industry. Intuitive and User-Friendly: Tableau is as easy as dragging and dropping data into the interface. From that data, Tableau creates insightful dashboards in just a few clicks. It was built to be easily used by folks without much data analysis experience. What if Analysis: The easy-to-use tool allows for analysts to manipulate the data and test for different situations. Data Prep : Tableau allows for data to enter from multiple sources varying file types. The tool offers support in organizing that data into columns, dashboards and worksheets. Price Plans offered by Tableau: Tableau Creator: $70 per month per user Tableau Explorer: $42 per month per user Tableau Viewer: $15 per month per user Website : Tableau KNIME KNIME is an open-source and cloud-based data integration platform. It’s primarily used for data mining and machine learning. It’s intuitive layout makes the data easy to understand to folks with limited data analysis experience. Between being free and user-friendly, there’s no excuse for not taking advantage of what the tool could offer your company. The tool is flexible and customizable to the needs of your organization --making it highly used specifically by small businesses. The tool is more useful if you already have experience using R and Python. Notable Characteristics: Graphical User Interface (GUI): KNIME offers a drag-and-drop graphical user interface making visual programming easy for users without technical experience. Gather and shape data: KNIME helps blend and transform data from a variety of sources into one platform and workflow environment. Delivers Business Insights: Using KNIME, your team will feel empowered by its easy-to-use interface to deliver usable, reliable and reproducible insights for the business. Interact and collaborate : KNIME allows users to interact with the data in a highly participatory manner. Through the generation of models, KNIME helps users to look back into the data science cycle and update data sources, tweak parameters, insert domain knowledge in order to update data or gain additional insights. Price Plans offered by KNIME: KNIME Analytics Platform: Free KNIME Hub: Custom Pricing Website : KNIME UX/UI Design If you work in the world of UX/UI design, then it’s time to improve your work with the assistance of these top design tools. We looked for design tools that offered a user-friendly layout and a smooth-functioning interface. Equally, the software must be intuitive, functional, and follow an appropriate style guide in terms of branding, colors, logos, layout and overall style. With this in mind, we would recommend starting 2023 with the following: Figma Figma is an easy-to-use prototyping tool that helps transform static designs into lively animations and interactive prototypes. It’s affordable, user-friendly, and requires no knowledge of coding. Its intuitive platform lets you design prototypes, integrate those prototypes with third-party applications, and store designs in the cloud. Figma is one of the best tools for team collaboration while offering top data security. Notable Characteristics: Prototype Design : Build and animate prototypes using their user-friendly interface. Advanced tools : Offers advanced tools to help with animation, insert transitions, and smart editing. Figma boasts about their auto layouts, modern pen tool, and other one of a kind features. Cloud-Based : Connected to the cloud for easy access to designs and ability to work on the design from anywhere. Access from all devices. Multiplayer editing : Option of sharing prototypes, commenting on designs, and conversing with others viewing the prototype. With an unlimited number of viewers and easy export tool, Figma is one of the best options for collaborative work. Price Plans offered by Figma: Starter: Free Figma Professional: $12 per editor per month (Free for students and educators) Figma Organization: $45 per editor per month Figma Enterprise: $75 per editor per month Website : Figma InVision InVision is a powerful all-in-one tool for designing and animating prototypes. The affordable and easy to navigate application will leave you saving time and money as you make and share scalable prototypes and interactive designs. There’s an initial learning curve, however, the program is ultimately user-friendly and compatible with other commonly used design applications. Notable Characteristics: Prototype Design: Users can create interactive designs and animated prototypes using premade templates and useful ad-ons. Advanced Tools: InVision offers instant playback, point-and-shoot prototyping, screen animations, and mobile device mirroring among other tools. Cloud-Based: Designs are saved and can be shared on the cloud. Integration: InVision allows for integration with a number of other applications including Adobe XD, Asana, Azure DevOps, Coda, Figma, Google Docs among others. Price Plans offered by InVision: Starter: Free InVision Pro: $4 per active user per month InVision Enterprise: Custom pricing Website : InVision Sketch Sketch is a well-known prototyping tool trusted by freelancers as well as multinational companies like Google, Facebook and Stripe. The tool allows designers to make universal changes at once, for example, changing text styles, layers, or resizing or aligning designs. That feature saves time for designers and allows for consistency of designs. Sketch is easily integrated with plugins and over 700 extensions created by the Sketch development team. Notable Characteristics: Prototype Design: Sketch is first and foremost a prototype design too. It allows users to turn static sketches into interactive designs. Work Collaboratively: Sketch Workspace offers the ability to work collaboratively on designs, comment, store and share files, get feedback and manage the collective workload. Customer Service: Given the amount of Sketch specific extensions, the company is known for their active customer service options. Live chat support is offered at all hours as the company is committed to customer success. Price Plans offered by Sketch: Starter: 30 day free trial Sketch Standard: $9 per editor per month Sketch Business: $20 per editor per month Website : Sketch Be on top of the tech trends and tools that will transform business in 2023. From web development to cyber security, these tools will help you dominate in the field of tech this year.

Cybersecurity has absolutely skyrocketed over the last decade, due to both incredibly fast technological advancements and a rise in cyber threats and attacks. Advances in what we can do with both our computer systems and user data means that they’re at an even greater risk: balancing the two is the key to the future. And it’s important to remember that even if it seems like the cyber threats are contained locally or within extremely developed regions, as the world becomes more and more connected, the threat of cyber attacks from the other side of the globe becomes more realistic. That’s why cybersecurity is and will continue to play a major role in 2023. Cybersecurity in 2023 Cybersecurity is ready to take over in 2023, even more so that it’s already done. Here’s what to look out for: Stricter policies about user data to protect client information. Stable technologies and policies will be put into place instead of VPNs for to support the popularity of remote work. Preventative measures will be taken to educate employees about cyber risks and use historical data to avoid future issues. Security measures across the entire organization will be improved. Cybersecurity itself will expand to include risk management and assessment. New Year’s Resolutions for Cybersecurity Professionals 2023 is the time to commit to cybersecurity policies that will improve your organization. Here’s a few: Change your passwords - now and later! This might seem like a no-brainer, but this one is key! A simple best practice that can have positive effects on your company is regularly changing passwords and ensuring that breaches involving stolen credentials are a lot less common. Check out these keys to solid passwords: Mix upper and lowercase letters, preferably throughout the password and not just at the beginning. Use symbols (if permitted) Make it as long as possible Avoid personal passwords like birthdays or names. Try to vary your passwords across different accounts. Update software The last thing you want is a data breach simply because your software isn’t updated. Make sure your systems and apps are all up-to-date across the board (and continue to be throughout the year!). Introduce request confirmation The oldest scam in the book is someone pretending to be someone they aren’t. To avoid this, request confirmations; although they can seem tedious, they're essential. When a request from an outside organization arrives via email, ensure that the person is who they say they are through phone calls, video calls, or a third system that your company chooses to employ. Educate your employees/team It only takes one mistake for a cyber breach and that means the mistake of just one employee could have serious consequences for the rest of the company. And even though cybersecurity professionals are the ones trained in the ins and outs of cybersecurity, all employees and team members need to have some knowledge of how to be responsible online. Multi factor authentication We know that being forced to enter a code that you received on your phone or authenticate your access from another computer is a drag, but this is a fantastic way to truly protect access to both your company’s and your personal information. MFA requires an extra step through another device to gain access, meaning that even in the case of a credential breach, your information is still protected. Take stock of where you are One of the best things about working in cybersecurity is the wide range of roles available to you. Every kind of company needs cybersecurity help, so the start of the new year is the best time to check where you are. Are you happy with your current role? Would you like to shift into a new industry? Are job postings listing skills that you don’t have? Take a step back and see where you are at the beginning of the year and set goals for where you want to be in 2024. Commit to using safe websites only Have you ever entered a website and thought it didn’t look that secure? Don’t worry, we all have. And that’s because there are some pretty creative fraudulent websites out there. There are certain browser extensions that you can add to your homepage to help you find them out or you can check the current security settings on your computer to see what you’re allowed to visit. The important thing to remember here is no matter what you’re doing, if you’re checking your bank statements or searching for the perfect chocolate chip recipe, any website could be fraudulent. Test your security team Are you prepared for a data breach or cyberattack? You might think so, but it’s quite difficult to decide until you face it. And while it might seem impossible to be able to practice the stress and urgency that surrounds these kinds of attacks, it can make all the difference. Set up incident response plans with your security team and practice how you’d handle different kinds of attacks. Monitor your social network usage We live in an era of over-sharing and this can actually be the downfall of people’s privacy, thanks to the absolutely huge amount of information that’s available online. Think about someone’s Facebook profile: you could see where they grew up, where they went to school and college, their current relationship status, their recent pictures, and much, much more. While it’s great to share your life with your loved ones, change your privacy settings so that only accepted followers or “friends” can see your personal information. Update your security knowledge It’s never a bad time to keep learning and refresh your knowledge, especially as both cybersecurity and cyber hacking techniques become more refined. And thankfully, there’s lots of courses, podcasts, videos, and articles about cybersecurity trends and techniques to help you continue to grow in your field. 2023 is your year and it’s a year where cybersecurity will take on even more importance. So take a peek at these resolutions and decide which ones you’ll comitt to this year. We can’t wait to see what you accomplish!

Agile Methodology in Start-ups Strategies, techniques, structure. Upon establishing any new entity, whether it be a team of people or an organization, these are indispensable, especially when the stakes are high. Take the world of start-ups where only 10% survive their first year of business; for these new companies, there are several types of methodologies and frameworks that they can adopt to not only survive but rather thrive successfully in the dog eat dog world of business. If you have worked in tech, you may have heard the terms scrum, feedback, backlog, or sprint thrown around, and these all have a shared origin: Agile methodology . Agile methodology is one of the project management methods that has had a successful run since its recent creation in 2001, and you can learn more about its foundation, meaning and well-known offshoots here. What is the Agile methodology? When you hear the word agile, the synonyms that come to mind could be fast, adaptive, rapid, nimble, or active amongst others, and as these words suggest along with agile, this philosophy for project management focuses on iterations and continuous and incremental improvements to the product. These allow for the teams to adapt to the needs and desires of the clients and customers by giving their voices more weight in the equation while also prioritizing consistent communication amongst all team members in order to divide and conquer with their goals in mind, which simplifies the process of making adjustments to their product. How did it come about? After ninety plus years of mainly using the Waterfall methodology, a strategy that was created by Henry Ford in car manufacturing with the assembly line, the advancement technology made this method both inefficient and old-fashioned. A group of seventeen representatives that worked in programming and development decided to make a change and come together to discuss and create a new methodology that would ease their disappointment, shake up the status quo, and revolutionize the tech world. The result: the Agile Manifesto . What is the Agile Manifesto? The seventeen programming and development professionals, or what came to be known as the Agile Alliance , established a list of values and principles that would come to instruct those in how to best take advantage of the approach. Both the values and principles are a philosophy of beliefs that focus on the client’s role and responding to and meeting their needs with a quick turnover rate . Values Since this was a new methodology for project development, they had criteria to compare the ways of the past with how they wanted to make future changes. The values established attempt to emphasize the importance of the words on the left over the ones on the right, although they are both important for any project’s development: 1. Individuals and interactions over processes and tools 2. Working software over comprehensive documentation 3. Customer collaboration over contract negotiation 4. Responding to change over following a plan You may notice that these values represent more of an adaptive organism that evolves thanks to the clients’ input and feedback , which prevents the product from ever becoming stuck or stagnant. It’s constantly developing and undergoing slight adjustments . The product isn’t destined to remain in a vacuum; on the contrary, change is both valued and streamlined to stay up to date with the needs of the customers . Principles In addition to the values explained in the Manifesto, the principles expanded upon them and added more specific details to the Agile philosophy: 1. Our highest priority is to satisfy the customer through early and continuous delivery of valuable software. 2. Welcome changing requirements , even late in development. Agile processes harness change for the customer's competitive advantage. 3. Working software is the primary measure of progress. 4. Deliver working software frequently, from a couple of weeks to a couple of months, with a preference to the shorter timescale . 5. Business people and developers must work together daily throughout the project. 6. Build projects around motivated individuals . Give them the environment and support they need, and trust them to get the job done. The most efficient and effective method of conveying information to and within a development team is face-to-face conversation . 8. Agile processes promote sustainable development . The sponsors, developers, and users should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely . 9. Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design enhances agility. 10. Simplicity – the art of maximizing the amount of work not done – is essential. 11. The best architectures, requirements, and designs emerge from self-organizing teams . 12. At regular intervals, the team reflects on how to become more effective , then tunes and adjusts its behavior accordingly. Although the Agile Alliance was more focused on project management for software, which is especially evident after reading the principles, Agile methodology can be used for all types of project management as a fundamental philosophy . Similarly to the values section that focuses on the customers, the individual workers, feedback and incremental modifications, the principles section of the Manifesto builds more on the foundation, while also elaborating upon the importance of daily collaboration, support and communication amongst team members, project managers and higher-ups and the always-improving quality of the product in question. How do start-ups use Agile to complete their projects? Thanks to the Agile Manifesto laying down a framework, professionals founded other methodologies that maintained the same beliefs, built upon them and implemented them in actionable ways. Two examples of  popular methodologies that are based on Agile are called Scrum and Kanban . Scrum By using the Scrum methodology, a team will work together under the leadership of a scrum master in brief iterations that tend to last one to four weeks. These short iterations are called sprints, and the scrum master supports their progress, morale and communication by holding daily scrum meetings and providing feedback. Another tool in their toolbelt is the scrum board , which is a visual representation that allows the team to see what the product backlog requires them to finish for the current sprint. The focus behind managing a project with scrum is a quick turnover rate and consistent improvement. Kanban While Scrum is all about sprints, Kanban is an ideology that believes in a continuous workflow that is broken down into stages. Not only are they different in their belief on time, they also disagree on the idea of roles; in Kanban, there are none since their tasks are based more on a Kanban board that are separated into three categories: Planned, Doing and Done. Visualization is an important aspect of Kanban as well because it provides visibility and easy access to the project. Also Kanban practices intend to maximize efficiency by reducing works in progress and implementing a constant feedback loop. Despite the fact that they have their differences, Scrum and Kanban share their foundational elements of Agile project management and even have their own principles and guidelines similar to the Agile Manifesto. Why is it important to know about Agile? Understanding the foundational elements and some of the different tools methods found in Agile is important if you’re going to work in a tech career nowadays given that more than 70% of American start-ups are using it. Ironhack believes that learning is key , in addition to the courses that are offered, information about project management has real world application that will be important moving forward and launching the tech career that is on the horizon! About the Author Adam is a teacher, translator and writer living in Madrid, Spain. He’s also studying to become a therapist. Since he is bilingual he teaches both English and Spanish and loves to write in both languages as well. He writes his own blog posts on Medium about mental health, psychology and his journey to self-discovery.

Whether you’re looking to further your data analyst career or jump into the sector this year, 2023 has a lot to offer. As the world bounces back from the pandemic and businesses throw themselves full fledged into what data analytics can do for them, now’s the time to hone your skills and make yourself the best possible analyst you can be. Data Analytics in 2023 The following trends are set to revolutionize the data analytics sector in 2023: An increased focus on customer experience will place an importance on design and analysis. More and more digital workloads will be on cloud-native platforms. Single dashboards that consolidate valuable information will become more popular. A heightened priority placed on privacy and data protection will mean companies work harder to secure customer data. Companies will invest heavily in data - data is how good decisions are made. New Year’s Resolutions for Data Analysts If you’re looking to transform your data analytics career this year, there’s never been a better time. Check out these 10 ideas: Focus on data ethics Between major data breaches and increasingly strict regulations, data ethics is key for any company looking to use client data. To achieve transparency with data, companies need to clearly and explicitly explain their policies to clients and train all employees (not just data analysts!) in the proper handling of data to avoid any problems. It may seem like an unnecessary step, but the last thing you want is to come across as untrustworthy. If clients are ensured a safe and transparent experience while entering their data on your site or app, they’ll be more likely to revisit. Update your resume You might have the job of your dreams, but data analytics is one of the world’s most fast moving industries, especially as we can do more and more with data. Even if you’re happy with where you are, take a look at your resume. Is there anything you can do to update it? Can you add more skills to your resume or is there any market need that you’re lacking? Taking a peek at your resume now can help you prepare for any opportunities that come your way in 2023. Create a network One of the best aspects of being part of such an incredibly fast-moving industry is the vast amount of connections you can make. Data analysis isn’t limited to just a few sectors; every single company needs to analyze their data. Use LinkedIn, conferences, local or online meet-ups, or online communities to take advantage of every opportunity. Learn about AI Artificial Intelligence is evolving hand in hand with data analytics, letting us do even more with data. But it can be tough to use correctly; that is, to use correctly to get a benefit out of it. In the last year alone, new AI techniques have allowed us to handle small data sets, in addition to large ones, which can change how we use our data. Learn a new data analytic tool It can be tempting to stick with what you know, but expanding your skillset can help you not only become a better data analyst, but also be a candidate for more and more jobs. Check these out: Tableau : this tool is great for analyzing, manipulating, and visualizing data Microsoft Office : you probably already know Word and PowerPoint, but try learning tricks in Excel to really transform your data Google Analytics: track website traffic with this web tool Embrace data democratization The days of data being just for data analysts to look at are far behind us: data is so crucial that the entire organization must know how to use it to their advantage. And because data is now at the center of every possible project, data needs to be widely accepted in any company. Companies that properly train and educate all their employees on what data is, how to read it, and how to interpret it will see a major difference quickly. Pursue personal or freelance projects It can be hard to get experience in data analytics and you may feel like there’s no way to get your feet in the door at your dream job. And in 2023, it’s on you to create your own experience. Try to look at your own computer or phone data to interpret some of its results or offer freelance services to local companies. This will help you get real-world experience in a less stressful environment. Learn different kinds of skills for data analysis Data analysts need a wide range of skills beyond just programs - have you thought about some of the technical skills that are in high demand with data analysts? Here’s a few: Data cleaning and visualization Matlab R Python SQL & NoSQL Machine learning Algebra and calculus And data analysts also need some soft skills: Problem solving Presetnation Analytical thinking Communication Review your NLP knowledge Data is key, we know this. But if your computer is spitting out unintelligible data, it doesn’t help you. Natural Language Processing, or NLP, is how computers and humans interact and how to use computers to fully understand human interactions and the information that comes from them. In 2023, NLP techniques will become even more powerful as we hone their capabilities to get more information from the data. Find a mentor There’s nothing better than learning from an expert and we have a secret - we don’t just mean learning about interpreting data! Finding a mentor in the data analytics industry can help you a lot; you can learn about the current market, the interview process, up-and-coming skills, industry trends, and much more. If you can find a mentor in your desired industry, that’s even better! Is data analytics in your future in 2023? Whether you’re just starting out or are an expert in the field, our Data Analytics bootcamp and subsequent career assistance can set you on right path.

Returning to school is often a necessary step in advancing in your career. However, enrolling in courses on top of a full-time job is a difficult decision to make. Are you ready for that lifestyle transformation? One of the biggest concerns is, of course, how to pay for that additional education. Luckily, there are many employers who will fund educational expenses to help with the cost of attendance. Yet, it’s most likely up to you to make that request of your employer. If returning to school is important to you, then getting clear on your goals and preparing to pitch your boss is necessary. Why going back to school may benefit your employer It’s important to be 100% certain on your goals and do your research about the programs where you wish to enroll. Are the skills that you will gain from these additional studies skills those that will help you be more successful in your current position? Is there a specific qualification that you need in order to advance in your career? Your job is to ultimately convince your employer that their investment in your education will benefit the company. Businesses know that employee retention is crucial to a company’s success. Training new employees is costly and failing to give employees opportunities for growth simply pushes them to seek opportunities elsewhere. Your boss knows that the company will benefit from having experienced loyal employees who can grow as leaders, take on additional projects, and bring in more revenue for the company. If we understand this, we know that your employer has already invested in you. They’ve trained you and they know that your success is directly related to the success of the company. You’re simply asking for an additional investment in your education so that you can offer even more to your employer. It’s a mutually beneficial situation, but it’s upon you to communicate that. Get specific: What skills will you gain from this additional educational experience? How do those skills tie directly into the work that you do for the company? Is there a specific position you’d like in the company? What are the requirements or expectations for someone in that position? Why should your company invest in this specific educational endeavor? Don’t forget, you’re surrounded by resources. If you want to return to school because you think the skills you gain will help you obtain a senior level position, reach out to the person who currently holds that senior level position. Find out what their educational background is. Ask what skills they see as necessary in being successful in that position. Figure out what classes they wish they had taken in order to be more successful. This information will help you prepare a pitch that’s grounded in the reality of the company. Educate yourself: how do educational benefits work at other companies? It’s been long proven that providing educational benefits to employees is one way to increase employee loyalty , reduce employee turnover rates , and increase productivity on part of the employees. This is why many employers offer educational benefits programs. The most common programs are tuition assistance programs for employees and family members. In the United States, employers can provide up to $5,250 per employee toward tuition tax-free, thus many companies in the states like United Parcel Service (UPS) and Chipotle have chosen to offer tuition assistance. Other businesses simply offer support in the form of training schemes or funding allowances. Meanwhile, some larger companies have partnerships with local universities. Do your research to see if your employer already has an education benefits program before making a request. If you’re sure that they do not, prepare to pitch to your boss. Knowing that many other companies already offer tuition assistance helps your case. Prepping the pitch for your boss Undoubtedly the most stressful part of this is actually asking your boss to fund your education. But if you’ve done your research, are clear on your goals, and know the ins and outs of the program you’d like funded, you’re in a good place to make a strong pitch. The most important things to remember are: It’s a selfless ask : your goals align with the goals of your boss. Your success is your boss’ success. Funding your education will only make you more loyal and excited to put the new skills you’ve learned to work to benefit you and your company. You are a valuable asset to your company: your employer has already made an investment in you and they do not want to lose you. An investment in you is an investment in the longevity of the company : employers know the benefit of having employees develop as leaders. The skills you learn you can later teach to your colleagues and mentor new employees. Employers are most likely to fund educational asks that: Are directly related to the work you’re doing. Are part time --they do not want to lose you as an employee. Are seen as a good financial investment for the company --upskilling current employees is often cheaper than contracting a new employee. Be prepared during this meeting. Practice pitching your key points. Prepare a presentation or at the very least bring your notes with you --you do not want to miss key information. Know that you and your employer are on the same team and your success is shared. Don’t let a no discourage you -- you’ll learn from the pitching process and can try again in the next quarter. Signing an educational contract If your company agrees to fund your education, they may ask you to sign an educational contract. It is extremely important to read this document because the funding may be contingent on you earning specific grades or on an extended work contract with your current employer. In short, know what you’re agreeing to . Look for language surrounding: Grade requirements : are you expected to maintain a specific GPA or grade in order to continue receiving financial support? Failing to complete the program : what happens if you fail to complete the educational program for reasons such as illness, an opportunity in a different city, or other personal issues? Will you be expected to pay back the funds once granted to you? An extended work contract: what does your employer expect from you while you’re studying and after completing your academic program? Payment for the courses: is the payment partial or complete? Will you pay upfront and be reimbursed or will your employer pay the fees directly? Will your employer also cover expenses such as books or other supplies? Time commitment and flexibility: will you be working during the duration of your studies? Is your employer open to you missing work for exams? Will your employer allow you to prioritize your studies? These are all important things to take into account while making the decision to accept funds from your employer. Remember, it’s a negotiation; you can make alternative requests of your employer and make your case for what would actually grant you a stronger educational experience. This contract is also a document to keep you safe. If you know you’re going to need time off during exams or want to be able to dedicate more time to your studies, make sure you’re also clear with those needs. Think of all the possibilities Getting your education funded does not mean strictly returning to college or getting a masters degree. This could be enrolling in an online course, getting CPR certified, attending a two-day academic conference, or a variety of other opportunities that promise education - even if they’re not met with a diploma. Maybe it’s easiest to start small and demonstrate to your boss that you're up for the challenge. Get ready to work! Studying while working is a huge commitment. It’s intellectually demanding and will most likely mean making sacrifices to your current lifestyle. If your company does invest in you, they are expecting a return on their investment. Be prepared to study hard and demonstrate all that you’ve learned to your employer. It’s an exciting opportunity for personal growth and the investment from your employer will only leave you feeling more respected as an important member of your workplace.

As the new year begins, you’re probably starting to think about your new year’s resolutions and how to ensure that t his year is the year that you crush them. And while your goals may be more personal, such as eating healthier, budgeting, or taking time to relax, the new year is a great time to tackle professional goals as well. UX/UI Design in 2023 With the abundance of products on the market, there’s never been a better time to create truly user-friendly products. If a user doesn’t like the design of your website or app and has trouble finding what they need, it can result in lost conversions and clients. That’s why in 2023, UX/UI design is predicted to reach new heights and become even more crucial. Here’s what to expect from UX/UI design in 2023 : Integrated design and code Parallel creation for designers and developers No more mock-ups Updated system states Easier testing All this means that UX/UI designers will continue to be in high-demand and it’s time to transform your career. New Year’s Resolutions for UX/UI Designers Work with your team Even if you think you’ve come up with the world’s best design, it’s likely that others on your team have good ideas as well or can help reduce your workload. Don’t be scared to rely on your team and spread out responsibilities. You never know - maybe they have the perfect idea to complete the design! Be patient We all know that UX/UI strategies are key to the success of a website, but don’t get too excited. It’s tempting to expect drastic changes immediately, but that’s not a reality. UX design is a process; you must understand both the brand and the client’s needs to create a successful design. It will take trial and error and reviewing data to find the secret to success: don’t panic! Continuously update Working for the world’s most popular company doesn’t ensure success; in fact, with the incredibly high competition that the market currently has, you must guarantee the best possible user experience. Worried? Make sure you check out these factors: Slow loading times Limited search options Confusing design Get organized Designers tend to have very creative ideas and it’s easy to get caught up in all of your good ones. Instead of trying to implement every idea immediately, try organizing your thoughts and plans. Then, it’ll be easier to choose the best one for a specific project later on. Learn color theory Did you know that different colors trigger different responses in users? And that some colors have been proven to actually encourage users to click on an ad or make a purchase? Choosing the right colors isn’t just about aesthetics; the right color can make or break a customer’s experience on your page. Diving into color theory can help you understand both the best choice and the why behind that choice. Try to reduce clicks The less “work” a user has to do to get to where they need to be is the holy grail in UX/UI design. Set a challenge for yourself: on one of your designs, find one place to eliminate at least one click. Then, check out the page analytics and see if it helped improve the page’s performance. Learn to balance aesthetics with usefulness Here’s that horrible struggle all UX/UI designers have to deal with at some point - is compromising the page’s usability worth increasing the site’s aesthetic look? Or the other way around: is a more user-friendly, but not as attractive design better? It’s hard, but the key to a successful design is to balance the two. And this might take some time - play around with different designs and choose the one that works best for the specific situation. Learn from experts The internet is full of helpful videos, podcasts, blog posts, and tips from experienced and successful UX/UI designers that can help you become even more skilled. These are some of the most common tips from top designers: Reduce clicks Use images instead of words Keep it simple Provide the necessary information Be original It’s not ideal, but one company’s recipe for success won’t be the same as another, even if they’re quite similar. Try not to just copy another website or app design; all clients and companies are different (we promise!) and successful UX/UI design incorporates this into the design process. Polish your data analysis Creating designs is great, but you need to know how to interpret the data that you get from your work. You could be just one step away from an incredibly successful design, but you won’t know that unless you can check out your results. Scheduling a time weekly or monthly to review page or app statistics can make all the difference - it’s time to polish your data analysis skills. Are you ready to take on UX/UI design in 2023? Whether you’re just starting out or are an experienced professional, this is your year. And at Ironhack, we’re here to help.

New Year’s Resolutions on the Horizon At the end of each year, a new beginning looms on the horizon where potential opportunities await and you envision big plans for the future. Those aspirations can seem far off and scary, but luckily the decision to be productive often starts off strong at the ring of the new year. When it comes to starting any new career, let alone one in tech, a surplus of motivation is necessary to get the wheels off the ground. Fortunately, leveraging the new year energy to get organized and connected with what you really want is a great start. Stay Determined All Year Long Research and plan Getting ahead takes a lot of preparation, and having a realistic timeline and plan for what the year(s) may look like is important to have as a solid foundation. Rome was in fact not built in a day, and entering the workforce in tech may take some time depending on what role you want to pursue. Plans can look very different; however, the most important part is for them to be both realistic and doable. The best way for you to keep those in mind is by speaking to someone else who already has the job that you’re aiming for. The best way to go about finding these individuals is to look for professionals on Linkedin or reach out to friends of friends, asking them questions like: 1) What studying did you have to complete to reach your position? 2) What challenges were you met with? 3) Is there any advice that you wish you had been given when you started off? Why go on a hunt when you can get first-hand knowledge quickly and from one source! After creating that base, more information may be necessary and researching online would be your best option. Some Google searches to start off your research can be in the following fields: 1) Web development 2) UX/UI design 3) Cybersecurity 4) Software development 5) Data analysis Having a good plan starts off with finding the right information and if you’re just entering the world of tech, it’s highly likely that you don’t have the necessary studies to make that happen. At Ironhack, there are great options to get you started and provide the foundation for learning those tech skills. With bootcamps both online and in person around the world, you have access to several options that will allow you to study and fit your schedule with full time and part time schedules available. Check out our courses page to find out more information. Still stuck? Follow these steps: Set attainable, bite-size goals Waking up on January 1st, you can easily fall into the trap of making huge, abstract goals that are near impossible to achieve: get a raise, lose 30 pounds, buy a car, etc. A big vision isn’t the problem here, however, having that well thought-out plan and making weekly and monthly goals can help make them seem more attainable, keep motivation and spirits high, and stay on the right track. One way to break up your goals is through making monthly and weekly goals. As a result, achieving that mini-goal, as Marie Kondo would say, sparks joy and is a small reminder of the hard work going into your own future. Smaller wins keep the flame alive. To make accomplishing a goal even that more impactful, a prize or self-gift can reinforce that behavior: anice dinner out, a new shirt you’ve wanted for the past few months, or even a sticker on an achievement chart.  A small celebration of your accomplishments, however little they may be, adds flame to the fire. Is it similar to the coveted “Great job,” that teachers used to give you in elementary school? Yeah, and that recognition of your hard work was so special because it wasn't given out frequently. 2. Write in a diary or journal Along with creating a detailed plan and setting benchmark goals, keeping a log or diary of your progress, status, and effort is a great way to reflect on what’s happening currently in your world and how things can be improved or changed. A look into the past and acknowledgement of all you’ve done to get where you are is incredibly empowering and an enormous reminder that you are strong, capable, and hardworking. More often than not, thinking alone isn’t enough . When you write down what you’re thinking, not only is there a record for you to go back to, but also you are putting more intention into what is going through your mind. In addition to the typical updates that you can write in your diary, prompts can be helpful in guiding you towards a specific answer, especially one that is reflective of your inner world. Some journal prompts that may be helpful are: 1) What do I want right now? What do I need right now? 2) What have I done that I am proud of? 3) Do I feel like I’m on the right track? If not, how can I get back? 4) What am I doing that is helping me reach my goals? Is anything detracting me from getting there? Self-reflection can open doors to your inner-workings and help you get more in touch with those desires and patterns that can be leveraged to succeed. 3. Adopt a growth mindset Corporations and educators have been pushing heavily for the past few years a growth mindset, an idea coined by Carol Dweck - with good reason too! It states that a shift in thinking that focuses on growing, improving, working hard, and learning instead of focusing on your own fixed capacity, allowing people to stay curious and motivated despite any challenges that may arise. For example, you don’t complete a project on time, and from there your mind can go in a few directions: 1) I can’t finish things on time ever and I’m always going to be a procrastinator. 2) I am still figuring out what I need to do in order to procrastinate less and next time, I will start earlier and communicate more clearly with my project manager. The second thought would be considered to be that of a growth mindset since improvement can still occur without fear of failure. It’s easy to believe that you are fixed in who you are, but knowing that you are constantly changing and growing can be quite motivational, even when goals are not met or you don’t get that second interview. Adoption of a growth mindset provides the grit, resistance to failure, and the determination to succeed despite difficulties and challenges that may arise. 4. Create visual reminders Waking up and walking over to your mirror to see yourself and pictures hanging on the wall of your goals provides you with the opportunity to see yourself in the present and what your future will hold. Visual reminders of our intentions, dreams, and plans make quite the impression, especially when you see the same images day after day. Everyone has heard of a vision board, and as cheesy as they are, they can also be helpful in keeping your eyes on the prize. Maybe grabbing magazines from around the house isn’t the best way to go about making these though, since there are online tools like Canva’s free vision board creator that can help in making a perfect collage of all the images you may need to complete your full vision. The more specific the goal-related photo, the better, and since you’ve already listed your goals and plans previously, finding the right photo to encapsulate those achievements is the final step. 5. Outsource to motivators Our own validation and reinforcement of behaviors are a driving force of moving forward, but sometimes it may not be enough. What you can’t provide for yourself can be outsourced to a motivator though. A motivator can be a friend, significant other, coworker, family member, or anyone you can trust and rely on, and when they tell you, “Hey, you are doing a spectacular job” or, “Man, you’re working so hard and almost there, you’ve got this,” it can be both powerful and encouraging. Sometimes, it may look a bit different, “[insert name here], I know you didn’t get that promotion this time, but next week get that project done, and you’ll see from there.” Motivators are there to provide you with whatever you may need from them in the right moment. Humans will always need to depend on others no matter what, and having support from the people around you is essential can be a huge relief. Armed with the self-knowledge of what you need given the situation, you can ask a motivator for encouraging words, outside pressure, or a strong shake back to reality - and they’ll give it to you! Education Comes First You may be starting off the new year with overwhelming feelings, a headache, and a list of accomplishments and tasks to complete, but with the right support in place, you can cross off each one of those bullet points throughout the next twelve months. Given how easy it is to get started with us and the number of jobs available, the opportunity to begin a successful career in tech has never been bigger. Register your email at Ironhack to cross off the first goal on your list: get the proper education. Don’t forget to check out all our online and in person available courses today. About the Author Adam is a teacher, translator and writer living in Madrid, Spain. He’s also studying to become a therapist. Since he is bilingual he teaches both English and Spanish and loves to write in both languages as well. He writes his own blog posts on Medium about mental health, psychology and his journey to self-discovery.

Talenthack Berlin: Partner talks and tech talent network Come and join one of Berlin's top tech events where young tech talents and our partner companies can meet! What is Talenthack Berlin? What do you think is the biggest challenge for people when it comes to breaking into tech? Building your network. Once you have the technical knowledge you need under your belt, the next challenge to overcome is diving into your local tech community and building your network. Hey, we know it's not easy. Striking up conversations with people you don’t know can be scary and sometimes you might not even know where to look to find your fellow tech workers. But if you are a young tech talent who recently started your career transition, we are hosting the perfect event for you. Talenthack is a unique meeting and networking space where young tech talents and our partner companies can meet! Other young tech workers, in the same position as you, will be attending and our thriving Ironhack community is here to welcome you and help you build your local tech talent connections. So, what exactly is Talenthack Berlin? A local tech talent event hosted at our Ironhack Campus Berlin (Prenzlauer Berg). Hosted several times a year, for one evening we open up the campus to share drinks, snacks, and stories. An opportunity to meet the current students and latest graduates + alumni A chance to view talks from some tech leaders and learn from the best. View profiles in Web Dev, UX/UI Design & Data Analytics Why come to the Talenthack tech event? The team at Ironhack loves how our values of bridging the gap between talent, technology, and community align, so we knew that hosting this tech event for our Berlin alumni would be a game-changing experience. To give you a glimpse of how you can use the Ironhack community to help you break into tech, here are the highlights of coming to an Talenthack event. Get to know the local companies that are on the hunt for tech talent in Berlin. Connect to awesome companies that share your values and can help you take the next step in your tech career. See how companies present themselves and get a look at what makes them special. Hear talks from tech leaders at some of the most influential companies and listen as they share their wisdom. A look back at our last Talenthack event Talenthack Berlin has been a huge success since it started. Our alumni have used it to not only build their network and assist them in their job hunt but also to hear the stories of talented tech employees and how their journeys started. Our last Talenthack took place at our beautiful campus in Berlin. Companies like Zalando, HelloFresh, REDSOFA Berlin, VISSERO, Hyve Local, GetYourGuide, and Feminutes took part and used the opportunity to get to know the latest tech talent in Berlin – people just like you. Deborah, lead talent acquisition Manager at @ HelloFresh : Deborah shared the story of her career change and highlighted the skills and motivations that make any Ironhacker an ideal fit for the tech industry. “A bootcamp graduate, someone coming from Ironhack would be a great fit for a company like Hello Fresh . Someone who decided I'm going to put something on pause or slow it down so that I  can focus on something new and really immerse myself and dedicate myself to learning. That's exactly the kind of person that we're looking for. And I can even share. Personally, I'm pretty new to recruitment. I've actually only been a recruiter for two years. What they were thinking when they hired me, I don't know. But I spent a year as a technical recruiter and then moved into this role in January. If that doesn't speak to the kinds of opportunities that exist and the trust and the dedication to learning, don't know what at what I'm a recruiter, take everything I say with a grain of salt, as I'm sure you all know. But seriously, I think it's important to focus on.`` Roy, Senior Product Design Recruiter @ REDSOFA Berlin Roy is a recruiter at REDSOFA and specializes in design. In his talk he shared how he is happy to help any Ironhacker take the leap into their first tech role. Do you want feedback on your online portfolio? Or some insights into how to approach searching for a UX design role and what skills to highlight on your application? Then you can reach out to Roy. Get some professional insight from him on his experiences as a designer recruiter as well as insights into what he loves/hates in design portfolios. “Calling all recent Ironhack Germany graduates! We had an absolute blast at the speaking at the TalentHack event last week -There was so much great energy in the room. As someone who knows how scary career shifts can be, and understands the design job space well I want to try and do more helping career changers & entry level job seekers out. I have blocked out an hour 15.00 - 16.00 every Friday to do short 15 min calls with entry level design job seekers to offer help advice and portfolio feedback. You can book a slot using this link below.” https://lnkd.in/eK4RT4UQ Is your company ready to reach Berlin's tech talent? If you are a company that would like to be part of our next #talenthack to discover new talents, reach out to Marc Peter Dauter . Get set up at our next event and discover how Ironhack can help you reach a new generation of talent. Ready to join? More than 10,000 career changers and entrepreneurs launched their careers in the tech industry with Ironhack's bootcamps. Start your new career journey, and join the tech revolution!

The new year is here and we’re sure you’re as eager as we are to start crossing off your New Year’s resolutions. And while you probably have some great personal goals like going to the gym more or spending time with family, have you considered making a few professional goals as well? Even if you’re happy with your current role or professional development, it can’t hurt to set some goals to help advance your career. Web Development in 2023 Web development is still one of the most in-demand career options out there and companies are in need of skilled web development professionals . Here’s what to expect from web development in 2023: Java is popular again and JavaScript is the most in-demand language. Data analysis is a sought-after skill. Coding tests are becoming more common in the interview process. Remote work is now a reality for most web developers. New Year’s Resolutions for Web Developers Even if you can’t meet all ten of these resolutions, choose a few that work for you and make sure you work for them in 2023. They will help your web development career take off! Revamp your CV It’s always great to have an up-to-date resume on hand in case a new opportunity comes your way. Do you know how to organize your resume so it’s as impressive as possible? Here are some tips: Prioritize your relevant experience: if you’re applying for a role that requests Java knowledge, make sure you put that on the top of your resume. Ensure your CV is easy to read and understand : clearly list the role, your employer, dates of employment, and responsibilities. List your skills at the top of your resume: list your skills and competencies at the top of your in bullet points so it catches the recruiter’s eye. Be easy to reach: the very top of your resume should have your full name, contact information, and address (optional). Keep it simple : there’s no need to include a headshot or colorful bullet points; keep the paper black and white with only information relevant to your professional experience. Complete your reading list Your education as a web developer isn’t limited to just coding and practical skills; certain books can help hone your soft skills, help you plan out your professional trajectory, and explore the future of web development. Complete a project from start to finish It can be tempting to just do one part of a project, but trying to complete the entire project and seeing it through from the beginning could help you expand your skills and better understand the process. It could also introduce you to a part of the process that you really like - what are you waiting for?! Learn new frameworks Improving your skills will help you not only be a better developer, but also be better suited for new and more advanced roles. Check out these three frameworks to learn in 2023: Spring : this open-source application framework for Java apps is easy to test, flexible, lightweight, and is the most popular Java Framework worldwide. Django : this high-level python framework boasts speed, free tools, backward compatibility, and has more than 28,000 stars on GitHub. Express : this node.js web application framework is easy to learn, boasts fast app development, and is used for backend development by Paypal, Walmart, and IBM. Check out new web dev products Web dev is constantly evolving in a wide range of sectors and it’s essential to stay up-to-date with them to not only hone your skills but be prepared for new challenges. A quick internet search of Google reviews and professional opinions can help you understand the current market. Join tech communities Tech communities like GitHub and Product Hunt are great ways to chat with other developers, ask for technical help, provide assistance to fellow developers, and explore the world of web dev. Prepare for tech interviews You never know when your next big opportunity will come around the corner and you don’t want to find yourself unprepared. Practice some tech interviews throughout the year and stay on top of what you need to know. Get organized Is your desk space getting a little cramped or is storage on your computer low? Or is your calendar filled with unnecessary meetings? The new year is a great time to get organized, clear up your clutter, and set achievable goals. Make a list of what you absolutely need to accomplish, prioritizing those tasks above all else. Improve your time management skills We all know how hard it can be to juggle work, personal life, and maybe even studying. That’s why it’s crucial to hone your time management skills and set boundaries between your work and personal life. Even though it may seem like your boss wants you to work constantly, your performance will actually improve with strict boundaries and scheduled breaks/time off . Learn a new skill Your education journey is never truly over, especially as a web developer. And as web development becomes more and more popular, making yourself a truly unique candidate will help you land that role. Learning to write blog posts as a tech professional or creating physical designs instead of just computer ones (think business cards or posters!) will expand not only your knowledge, but the range of roles available to you. 2023 is here and this is your chance to further develop your skills, make yourself a more attractive candidate, and reach new heights. At Ironhack, we’re here to help you meet your goals. Are you ready?

Tell us a bit about you! Hello there ! I’m Ioana , currently living in Paris. In my professional life, I work as a Cybersecurity Officer in the Defense industry. In my personal life, I like to travel, paint, play guitar, and to regularly learn new things. What did you do before joining the Bootcamp? I used to be a Project Manager in the aerospace industry, at the crossroads of IT & Engineering - type of - projects. Why were you interested in Cybersecurity in the first place? On my last project I had to accidentally deal with a cybersecurity-related part as the project was in a military environment. So I had no previous knowledge of cybersecurity & I somehow had to start training myself on my own the best I could in order to make the project go smoothly. Why did you decide to make a career change? With plenty of time on my hands due to Covid, I was also financially able to invest in a new career as it was already on my mind for some time. The hardest was the first step - meaning the decision to dive in a new field, after that, everything kind of started to fall into place gradually & quite effortlessly. Looking back now, a year later, I can say beyond the shadow of any doubt, that it was one of the best professional decisions I had ever taken. How was your experience at Ironhack during the course? During the bootcamp I experienced a mix of fulfillment (at what I was achieving) sprinkled with frustration here & there (on the more technical or complex parts). I would say the most important is: to never give up even if it may look hard (or close to impossible at times). Success is going all the way, effort & resilience always pays back (in due time). How was the remote collaboration with the rest of the class? It was nice & easy & although remote, the colleagues were always eager to help out when someone gave them a shout. We even continued our collaboration after the class, when recommending different positions and/ or companies among us. It’s a pity we didn’t create a group on Signal or some other rather safe social network, we could have definitely kept in touch for longer. What did you enjoy the most about the self-learning format of the Bootcamp? It was done remotely in the comfort of my home - I tend to learn quicker & work more efficiently when I am in a psychologically safe / Home-like environment. I was also able - up to a point - to manage my own learning rhythm & adjust it accordingly based on my brain-sharp or brain-lazy hours during the day. After graduating, you found a job. What would you highlight from your current company and position? I actually found several positions & I worked for 3 companies already since I graduated last year, all of them in cybersecurity. It was hardest in the beginning due to the obvious lack of cyber work experience. But once I got on the cyber market, it literally rained with opportunities & I was no longer forced to let other people choose me, I chose the best for myself. Piece of advice on this one: life is short so never settle unless you feel appreciated, valued & fulfilled where you are. And yes, it does exist. How did the Bootcamp prepare you for the job market? I honestly don’t think I could have been here without the Bootcamp. It definitely provided the necessary tools, knowledge, technology & the self-confidence that came with all these. It was thanks to the bootcamp that I managed to get on the cyber market & to make my career change & ultimately proudly work in an awesome company that I greatly cherish. What advice would you give to those who want to get started in the tech sector and are afraid of change? Whether we like it to admit or not, our entire life means constant change. Look at it this way: yes, it’s scary to make a big change (& fear potential failure) but you know what it’s even scarier ? Regret (of not having risked it when you had the chance, energy & finances). So be scared (if you cannot help it), but do it anyway. Just some advice from my side: whenever you feel not (experienced or skilled) enough for a position you’d like to apply & you somehow don’t feel ready, do it anyway. Take the risk, let a company tell you no (it’s a possibility), but don’t tell yourself no beforehand, don’t sabotage your own opportunity. don’t forget to celebrate success (even small successful moments), remember you are your biggest fan, be kind to yourself & understand this is a process - stairs to climb one by one - and not a one-time target to hit. fear is an illusion, most of the things we fear do not happen, train that resilience & mental strength, run risks regularly & know that failure is a greater teacher than success & a perfect trainer to prepare you for better things to come. Now go & be courageous & enjoy every bit of that cyber ride out there !

Tips for Goal Setting Setting goals is one of the most important things you can do for yourself. A goal gives you a target to aim for and it inspires you to take action. Without goals, you’re just drifting through life without a plan or purpose. And when it comes to your career, goals will help you ensure you are heading in the right direction and following what we consider your north star. To keep your goals realistic, we suggest you follow the SMART goal model. Goals should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound . This acronym will help keep you focused on what’s important. Here are some tips to help with the SMART goal model: Write your goals down and keep them in a place where you can see them. When you see your goals every day, your motivation to achieve them will be enhanced. Set deadlines for yourself! Part of setting SMART goals means you have measurable benchmarks , which require timelines. Share your goal deadlines with peers to help hold yourself accountable. Receive feedback and support through accountability partners to help you stay on track to hit your benchmarks. Qualitative vs. Quantitative Goals Qualitative goals for 2023 Develop a comprehensive understanding of the job market and available roles Research employers and organizations that align with your career aspirations Proactively network with industry professionals to gain insight into the current hiring landscape Create an up-to-date resume and online portfolios that highlight your skills and experiences Quantitative goals for 2023 These consist of measurable accomplishments, so you may want to set your sights on a few certifications pertaining to the sector you want to get into. One great way to set measurable goals is to use the SMART system: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound . For example, “I will land two interviews in the next month” is a specific goal that can be measured (whether or not you actually landed those interviews). It’s also achievable and relevant—you want to get interviews, after all!—and it has a timeline attached so you can measure your progress. Goals to Set to Land a New Job Finding a new job can be an intimidating process, but setting realistic and achievable goals can help make the process smoother and more successful. With the right mindset, dedication, and preparation, any job seeker can be successful in pursuing their dream job. Here are some essential goals to set when searching for a new job: 1. Know your worth Before beginning the search for a new job, it is important to know your worth as an employee and understand what you bring to the table. Understanding your strengths, weaknesses, experience, qualifications, and skill set will help you determine which positions are best suited for you. Knowing your worth upfront can also help you confidently negotiate salaries or other benefits with potential employers; understanding what kind of value you bring to an organization enables you to demonstrate that value in interviews and other aspects of the hiring process. 2. Research prospective employers Researching potential employers is essential when pursuing a new job. Take time to familiarize yourself with an organization’s mission statement, values, culture, and recent news stories about the company that may have been published in newspapers or online media outlets. It will give you insight into whether the company aligns with your values as well as show potential employers during interviews that you have done your homework on their organization. 3. Develop and maintain professional connections Networking is an integral part of finding a new job - by developing relationships with professionals within industries relevant to your desired career path, you increase your visibility in the workforce and open yourself up to opportunities otherwise unavailable through traditional methods such as submitting resumes online or attending job fairs. Never underestimate how far simply maintaining contact with industry-relevant professionals will take you in your search for employment - networking events could land you an interview or even help connect you with recruiters who specialize in placing candidates like yourself into jobs they deserve! 4. Update your resume & cover letter Having a resume ready at all times is important when trying to land a new position; depending on the type of role being pursued, there may be specific qualifications required or keywords used by employers during their searches for potential employees that need to be included in resumes and cover letters submitted for consideration. Make sure these documents are up-to-date according to current industry standards so they stand out from competitors vying for the same position. 5. Practice interviewing skills A great way to prepare for future interviews is by rehearsing answers beforehand - research common questions asked during interviews relevant to potential positions so there aren’t any surprises when it comes time for face-to-face meetings with prospective employers! Additionally, practice active listening skills such as making eye contact throughout conversations - this shows attentiveness and interest which could make all the difference come decision time! 6. Aim high & stay positive Just because one opportunity doesn’t work out doesn’t mean another won't come along eventually; don’t forget to stay positive throughout the entire job hunting process! Aim high while keeping realistic expectations – try applying for positions slightly above those seemingly suited best based on education/experience requirements so there is room for growth if hired. Additionally, always remain professional by promptly answering emails/phone calls from recruiters/employers – doing so increases chances of standing out from other candidates vying for similar positions. 7. Be patient Landing a new job takes patience – don’t get discouraged if results don’t happen overnight; keep pushing forward until something sticks! Doing research on potential companies/positions prior to putting yourself out there goes a long way too - this provides insight into whether roles match desired criteria before wasting time applying/interviewing! Patience pays off when it comes down to crunch time and perseverance works when desperately searching for gainful employment elsewhere! Set Clear Goals to Climb the Career Ladder When it comes to setting goals to climb the career ladder, an individual should have a formidable plan that is realistic and achievable. It can be daunting to try and map out a career path, especially when one does not have access to seasoned mentors or advisors. However, by practicing careful goal planning and staying focused on self-improvement , anyone can develop a successful roadmap for their future success. Set up a 30-60-90 day plan When pursuing new opportunities, it's important to have a 30-60-90 day plan in place. This plan will help manage the change and keep things running smoothly. The first 30 days are used to assess the situation and get organized, the next 60 days are for implementing changes and communicating with staff, and the final 90 days are for monitoring results and making any necessary adjustments. Having a clear plan in place will help minimize disruption and chaos during a time of upheaval. With these goals in mind while job hunting, anyone seeking employment has every chance of finding success in their pursuit of ideal roles both domestically and internationally! Setting realistic expectations while remaining dedicated enhances chances of finding enjoyable careers sooner rather than later. We wish you the best of luck in your search and remember: Ironhack is here to help you upskill so you can stay on track with your career goals.

Chances are you’ve set some goals for yourself in the new year – good for you! At Ironhack, we are all thinking of how we are going to improve in 2023. Setting resolutions and goals is great, but actually implementing changes can be really hard. We’ve found that instead of focusing solely on your SMART goals, it can be helpful to take on some new habits that will put you in the right frame of mind to achieve them. Our lives are constantly evolving and the decisions we make each day have a direct impact on our overall well-being. Developing healthy habits is one of the most beneficial steps we can take to improve our lives in the long run: it helps us become more productive, efficient, and healthy. Start with Self-Care Taking care of yourself is key when it comes to achieving success. Start by setting aside time in your day for activities that are solely dedicated to looking after yourself. This could be anything from taking a morning walk or journaling to indulging in a relaxing bubble bath or reading your favorite book. The important thing is that you’re making time for yourself and prioritizing it. Part of self care is definitely getting enough sleep. With our constant connectivity, it can be easy for time to escape us; with all the screen time, falling asleep can be difficult. A good night’s sleep is essential for a productive and stress-free day. Aim to get 8 hours of restful sleep each night so you can wake up feeling energized and ready to tackle the day ahead. Exercise is also a part of this. Exercising as a habit can have extraordinary benefits for both your physical and mental health. Regular physical exercise helps control your weight, strengthens muscles, reduces fat, promotes healthy bones and joints, increases energy levels, reduces stress, and improves your mood. In addition to these benefits on the physical level, regular exercise can also help improve overall mental wellbeing by increasing self-confidence, reducing depression and anxiety, improving cognitive skills and promoting better sleep. So if you’re looking for a way to improve your overall health and wellbeing, why not make regular physical exercise part of your daily routine? You won’t regret it! Get Organized! Organizing your life may seem like a daunting task, but it doesn't have to be. The key to getting organized is developing good habits and creating routines that help you stay on track. Here are some tips to help you get started: First, make a list of your goals. Take some time to sit down and think about what you would like to achieve in the coming months. Writing out your goals will help make them a reality. Another helpful tip for getting organized is to declutter and reorganize your space. Whether you work at home or in a shared office space, setting yourself up for success now will help you to maintain your organization as the new year unfolds. Go through your closet, kitchen cabinets, and desk drawers and sort out what you need and what can be donated or thrown away. Finally, make a calendar! Map out your year. Write down important dates like birthdays, anniversaries, vacations, and more so that you never miss anything important. Set up reminders on your phone or computer to check in with yourself on a regular basis and make sure everything is still running smoothly. Consider Meditation Meditation has been increasingly recognized as a helpful method for managing mental and physical health, as well as improving one's overall wellbeing. In the past few years, many people have turned to meditation to help them cope with challenging emotions and stressful situations. One of the most important goals for anyone practicing meditation is to become more mindful and present in each moment. In 2023, consider incorporating meditation into your daily routine . Dedicating at least 10 minutes each day to a guided meditation or visualization practice can help you to achieve inner peace and clarity. With regular practice, you can improve your physical, emotional, mental and spiritual wellbeing in the long term. A mindful approach to life will help you to reach your goals faster and more efficiently. Embrace Technology, but not TOO Much! In 2023, technology will be playing an increasingly central role in our lives. From smart phones that can answer questions and make decisions to intelligent transportation systems that can minimize traffic congestion, technology will be making life simpler and more efficient . This is great news, regardless of the industry you work in. Technology is going to be a part of your life and hopefully it will be for the better. That being said, we want to encourage you to find a healthy balance between screen time and real life. If you are working in technology, it can be easy to stay connected constantly, but you’ll want to make it a habit to break that time up. Be sure to get up and go for a walk periodically, or find a group with similar (non-tech) interests so you can nourish the social side of your life as well. Take some time away from screens and gadgets to give your mind a break and your tech-weary brain will thank you for it. Invest in Your Education Regularly Your education is one of the most important investments you can make in your life. It can help you to open up a world of opportunities, from increasing your earning potential to developing skills that will make you more competitive in the workforce. An investment in your education may be the best one you ever make! Not only could it lead to greater job opportunities and higher pay, but it could also give you the skills and knowledge to make a positive impact in the world. Plus, you’ll be setting yourself up for success for years to come! In 2023, we want to encourage you to invest in an education that will help you meet your goals and have fun while doing it. Education is really lifelong currency . If you dedicate around 18 minutes per day to a single skill or subject, you’ll become an expert over the course of a year. Think about what you enjoy doing and how it could fit into the mosaic of your life and career, then make a plan. If there’s a subject that interests you or piques your curiosity, learn more about it. You never know what doors that knowledge will open. The best part about investing in your education is that you quite literally get to choose your path. Sure, we have to go through traditional education systems to get to our first professional role but as adult, life-long learners, we have the autonomy to decide what we want to learn, when and why. Education has a huge impact on your career options. Of course, there are people who become successful without a formal education, but those are exceptions to the rule. The data is clear: the more education you have, the more likely you are to achieve professional success and satisfaction. An Ironhack bootcamp is a great option if you want to jumpstart your career with new tech skills. From web development to data analytics and UX/UI design, Ironhack has the right career path for you. With these simple tips, you can start the new year off right and set yourself up for success! What are your goals for 2023? Let us know in the comments below. Happy New Year!

No one wants to be stuck in the same position for the rest of their life, so it's important to find a company that has a lot of growth potential and will help you grow your skills and advance in your career. What Is Growth Potential? Growth opportunities are essential to employee engagement. They go far beyond a higher position or a better parking space, these opportunities enable individuals to grow as a person and become their best selves. When there is a lack of growth potential, employees tend to look for new opportunities. When joining a new professional opportunity, ask questions during the interview process about the company's plans for the future and your own potential for growth. Consider what you want from your career and find a company that can help you achieve those goals. Ask what the potential for promotion and raises looks like in the near future, and if there are any additional responsibilities or training opportunities available. It is also important to think about how long you would ideally want to stay with a company before transitioning into a new role. There many online courses and other professional development opportunities, like Ironhack’s bootcamps, that can help you expand your skills and knowledge. So don't be afraid to seize new opportunities and grow your career in the direction you want! Understanding Your Current Growth Potential Change starts from within, so we want to give you some tips on how to identify how you want to grow. Maybe you want to get into managing people, rise in your current role, or even shift into a completely new profession. There are so many options available with today’s evolving work environment. Your job is to decide what direction you want to grow in, and that will help you to better understand your potential for growth. Understanding your current growth potential means This means taking an honest look at yourself and assessing your strengths and weaknesses. Only by knowing where you stand can you begin to make the changes necessary to unleash your creative power. It's no secret that the world is constantly changing. The growth of technology has led to an ever-growing number of new opportunities for those who are willing to learn and grow with the times. For those looking to start or further their career, it's important to stay ahead of the curve and keep learning new skills. One way to do this is by taking advantage of professional growth opportunities. These can come in many forms, such as additional training, continuing education courses, or even simply reading about new developments in your field. Whatever route you choose, make sure that you're always challenging yourself and expanding your horizons. The more you learn, the more marketable you become, and the more growth potential you have for your career. So don't be afraid to invest time and energy into your professional growth; it will pay off in the long run! Asking About Growth in Interviews When you land an interview, it’s normal to get excited! But you’ll want to go into your interview armed with tough questions for the interviewer to make the best use of your time. You bring value to any organization that is interested in hiring you, and you can position yourself for growth within the company when you express interest from the beginning. Here are some examples of questions to ask in interviews that’ll help you understand the growth potential of that role. - How has the company grown in recent years? Ask about the company’s growth overall. While startups are great and getting in at the beginning can be a great opportunity for growth, joining a better established company with employees who have grown with the company is a very good sign as well. Try to get an idea of what turnover is like, and how the company has grown in the past. - What are the company's plans for growth in the future? On the flip side, ask about how the company plans to continue to grow. Are they seeking outside investment? Are they a smaller company that will stay small? Not all companies want to grow massively. Sometimes they find the sweet spot with their customers and work to improve efficiency but want to maintain the status quo. Try to understand what the company has in store as far as future growth. - What is your growth potential within the company? Ask how you can grow within the company. Is the role you’re interviewing for meant to be something that can grow vertically? Or is it a role that is more static and will probably be something that you are expected to stay in. Is the role seasonal? This is important to understand. There may be opportunities for learning even if there isn’t necessarily room for growth in the company itself. Try to gauge what you’ll learn and weigh it against your career goals overall. - What opportunities for growth exist within the company? Ask how the company handles employee growth and development. What kinds of training programs do they have? Are there employee engagement programs in place? How often do they hire for new roles internally? Are there plans for new roles in the future as the company grows? As a professional, growth within your company is essential to maintaining a career and taking it to the next level. When you are considering growth potential, there are several key factors to take into account. The first is the job market; what type of growth opportunities exist at your current company, and what other options might be out there. What to Do When You Can’t Grow: Pivoting to a New Career Pivoting to a new career can be a great option for those who find themselves unable to grow in their current job or industry. It presents an opportunity to explore different areas of interest and get out of a stagnant routine. Plus, by entering into a new field, you have the potential to gain new skills, increase your salary, and even find more growth potential. It’s like a breath of fresh air for your career! So don’t be afraid to take the leap — you never know what kind of growth opportunities might be waiting for you on the other side. The tech industry is an incredibly rewarding and growth-oriented professional pathway to explore. As technology continues to evolve, it creates new opportunities for growth and development. With the rapid growth of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, the number of career paths available to those interested in tech are steadily increasing. From software engineering to data science, growth potential in the tech industry is abundant and exciting. So if you’re looking for a career that offers growth opportunities, look no further than the ever-changing world of tech! And don’t worry—you don’t need to be an expert coder to succeed in this field. Your growth potential isn’t determined by your coding skills. It’s up to you to make the most of the growth opportunities available in this exciting industry. So go ahead and take a chance—start exploring the tech industry and see where it takes you!  You never know what kind of growth potential you could unlock.  Good luck! Check out how Ironhack graduate Jonathan Montalvo turned his experience into a position as a Senior UX/UI Designer at PWC in this video !

It’s that time of year again: everyone is gearing up for the holiday season and deciding what days to take off. But as things slow down at work, you might be doubting the importance of taking time off and what value it actually brings. You may think that it’s better to work through the holidays to get work done or show your boss that you’re dedicated, but in reality, it’s best to truly take advantage of those days off. And it’s not just about days off - consider those lunch or coffee breaks as valuable time, in addition to vacations or holidays. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: taking time off, in any form, actually improves your performance, in addition to providing personal benefits. Don’t believe us? Don’t worry, we can back it up. Benefits of Taking Time Off Workers who take time off perform better and here’s why: Mental reset : this is a no-brainer: you need to have time away from work to spark creativity and produce quality results. If your brain can’t rest and you’re continuously pushing yourself to the brink of exhaustion, your work will reflect that. Better productivity : staring at the same screen for hours or days will create a fog that you can’t look past. Did you know that working without breaks can suppress our passion for what we’re doing and negatively impact future progress? Better balance : You should work to live, not live to work. And achieving a positive work-life balance can seem impossible, but it’s totally achievable if you set clear boundaries with your job. Improved focus: Is it taking you longer than usual to complete a mundane task? You might be lacking focus, which is directly related to trouble completing tasks. Take a walk around the block, grab a coffee, or call your partner. Then see if your focus has improved. Better relationships : “All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy” - we’ve all heard this proverb and it’s quite true. Your work shouldn’t be the main focus in your life; your main focus should be your relationships, hobbies, and overall happiness. Reasons Why People Don’t Take Time Off But vacations sound amazing and everyone uses all their days off, right? Actually, no. In 2019, the U.S. Travel Association found that 55% of workers didn’t use all the paid time off they had available to them! And in 2017, 50% of Americans took less than five days off a year. Sounds crazy, we know. But here’s why: Many fear that their workload is too heavy and no one else at the company can do their job or that while gone, they’ll miss too many important meetings; this results with them not taking vacation days to avoid falling behind. Others can’t afford a vacation and think: well, then what’s the point? Those that can afford a vacation know they’ll be checking their email constantly on vacation, so it’s not even worth it. Some in leadership positions fear that the team will be lost without them if they go on vacation. Many think that management will see taking vacation, especially all of it, as a negative thing and it will reflect poorly on them. And while we can understand these concerns, here’s an interesting piece of information to consider: 82% of bosses surveyed in 2018 agreed that vacations improve employee focus and productivity. Types of Time Off As we mentioned before, time off doesn’t only include elaborate and fancy vacations. In fact, short breaks improve productivity and are also extremely beneficial. Here’s the three main types of time off and their individual importance: Extended vacation time This seems like an easy one, but due to the reasons listed above, extended time off is frequently ignored. Do you struggle to create strict boundaries between your work and personal life? If so, taking a longer vacation of one to two weeks could be the answer. And even if you can’t afford to jet off to the other side of the world, no worries. Any sort of prolonged break from work can improve productivity, reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, and improve overall life satisfaction. And enjoy your vacation! Studies show that those that stay glued to their email during vacations experience worse health and wellness when they’re back in the office. Mid-week days off Do you have a hard time focusing on Monday mornings, or maybe Wednesdays when the week seems endless? We get it. Random days off in the middle of the week or on a Monday or Friday to extend your weekend can help you take a breath, step away, and return to the office recharged. Short breaks Are you low on vacation days but wishing to improve your productivity? Short breaks are incredibly effective for practically any day of the week and should be used; it’s not ideal, but it’s true: you can’t focus the entire day. If you see your productivity slipping, take a 10-minute coffee break or take your lunch break a little earlier than usual. A quick, 10-minute walk around the block can help you clear your mind and get back to work. How to Ask for Time Off Lots of people are reluctant to ask for time off because they believe it will have a negative effect on the way their boss sees them. That couldn’t be farther from the truth! Here’s what to do: Review your company’s policy : certain companies have specific rules on the number of days that you can take off at once or even the way to ask for the time off. Make sure you’re within the company’s rules before you ask. Choose your time carefully : try to take time off during a time when you know that you’ll have a lighter workload or other colleagues aren’t away as well. Of course, this won’t always be possible, but it can help your request be accepted. Request the time off in writing: follow your company’s policy and make sure your request is in writing so that there are no issues later on. Then, make sure you prepare everything you can to ensure that there are no problems while you’re gone - and that you can enjoy your time off! Prepare your time off In order to ensure you make the most of your time off, make sure you do the following: Set an out-of-the-office email with the following information: Length of your vacation When you’ll be back Who to contact in case of an emergency Communicate clearly with co-workers in advance: don’t leave your co-workers in the dark; plan your vacation days in advance so that there are no surprises and, more importantly, no need to contact you while away! Set boundaries : try turning email notifications off on your phone and if you work from home, put away your work computer and materials so you’re not tempted to sneak a peek at your email. Alright, did we convince you? Taking time off, in any of its forms, is absolutely crucial for your wellbeing and productivity. So start planning your next break today!

New year, new you! Okay, so you're probably not going to have an overnight transformation but maybe this year you want a change, and you have decided that change should be to start a new career in tech . If you are looking for the perfect city to find a tech job and spend your 2023 in, Munich could be calling you. Munich is one of Europe's top-ranking tech hubs. It is t he fourth biggest tech hub on the continent for both unicorns and future unicorns, being beaten only by London, Paris, and Berlin. And while those cities are all great, they are big, capitals, and can be a little unfriendly to newcomers. In contrast, Munich is big, but feels small, has friendly vibes, a big international community, is the safest city in Germany, and hosts Oktoberfest! What's not to love? Munich is not only a great place to live, but it's a great place to find a tech job. The city foresaw the tech boom in the early stages and invested heavily in infrastructure to attract tech companies and talented IT staff to the city. It's now home to numerous tech enterprises and startups and the Munich tech ecosystem weathered the COVID-19 crisis well compared to other tech hubs, meaning jobs are still easy to come by. In this article, we take a deep dive into Munich's tech scene. We look at what major tech enterprises are located in the city as well as the startup ecosystem. We will also explore what Munich has to offer outside of work and by the time you have finished reading, you should know for sure whether or not Munich is the right city for you to launch your tech career. Tech jobs in Munich Deciding to relocate to a new city and start a career in tech is a bold choice. It's not one you want to undertake without a certain degree of caution. If you move to Munich for a tech job, you want to know if there are jobs available. So, what is the tech job market like in Munich? According to the European Commission , in 2022, Bavaria’s (the state in which Munich resides) economy was one of the strongest in Europe. The unemployment rate in Bavaria in March 2022 was 3.0%, 2 percentage points lower than the German average, and there are currently more job vacancies being reported than before the COVID-19 pandemic. A quick search on LinkedIn shows us that there are currently (Dec 2022) 3,653 vacant “developer” positions and 22,177 “IT” positions in Munich, Germany. IT jobs are there and waiting for you in Munich, and the strong economy in the area indicates that you would be able to find a secure job relatively fast. In Germany, there is also a nationwide IT skills shortage so businesses are fast to snap up and tech talent they can find. With it being a candidates market, you may also find you have a strong hand to play when negotiating for salary and benefits. Munich Tech Companies Munich has one of the strongest economies in the country, so it should come as no surprise that 10 out of the 30 corporations that feature in the DAX stock index, including Siemens, Adidas, and BMW, are based in the region (Munich and surrounding areas of Bavaria). Multinational enterprises and tech giants such as Microsoft, Intel, and Google have their German headquarters or laboratories here too. And it's not only giant enterprises that you could end up finding your career start at, there are many small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) too. While these companies may not be household names, some of them are hidden champions and world leaders in their industries. Automotive and mechanical engineering are strong industries in Bavaria and with digitization becoming a priority in these sectors, new tech jobs are emerging every day. If cars and mechanics aren't your vibes, there is plenty more to look at. Other key industries in Munich include biotechnology, environmental and energy technology, and aerospace. The Growing Startup Scene in Munich It's not only huge corporations that are operating in Munich's tech ecosystem. The city is also a prime destination for startups. Munich has garnered a reputation as an ideal place to locate for Transportation, Software and Data, and Health startups. According to StartupBlink , there are 120 Transportation startups, 39 Software and Data startups, and 39 Health startups in Munich Some of the most successful startups to come out of Munich include. Riskmethods A cloud-based system that monitors risk in the business's supply chain sends an early warning to stakeholders ProGlove A startup that has taken advantage of the network that Munich offers and is supported by Intel, GETTYLAB, and Bayern Kapital. It builds smart gloves for use in industrial settings. They have a scanner that communicates with a software solution for easy tracking of goods and products in factories. Where is Munich and What's it Like? Munich is not only a great location because of its infrastructure, but also because of its surroundings. Located in the heart of Bavaria, just a short journey outside of the city will take you to the stunning German countryside. Not only that but Munich is also close to Italy, Austria, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic. On those cold winter weekends, you can take a short train ride and be skiing in the alps or ice skating on Lake Constance. In addition, Munich has a well-connected airport that makes trips home to see family and friends easy and cheap and lets you explore Europe with ease when you take advantage of Germany's generous holiday allowance. In the city itself, the small cobblestone streets, numerous bakeries and locally-owned shops, and general coziness make you feel like you’re in a small city – not surrounded by 1.5 million people. You will find that the city is not only welcoming and friendly to you, but also to any pets you bring along for the ride. If you are bringing your dog, cat, ferret, or basically any animal with you, you will be more than happy to know that Munich is very pet-friendly. A large majority of the city’s restaurants and stores let you bring your pets in with you and will often offer them a bowl of water too. Public transport in Munich While it's great to know about the fun things Munich has to offer, you also want to be practical. One of the important things you want to consider is how easy it is to get to work. While remote working is taking off across the globe, many roles still require you to come into the office once or twice a week. In Munich, you will find reaching offices, no matter where they are in the city, simple. Public transport is well-connected, organized, and cheap. We highly recommend taking advantage of it because traveling by car can be slow due to congestion and frustrating when you can't find a parking space. How Much is the Rent in Hamburg? The next practical thing on your mind is probably how much it costs to live in Munich. Rents vary depending on what you're looking for and in what part of the city, however, to give you a rough idea here are the average rents in Munich. Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Centre: €1,353 Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Centre: €1,013 This is probably a bit higher than you have seen for other cities such as Hamburg, but luckily, with higher rents come higher salaries. If you are new to a career in tech, you will probably be looking for a junior position and could expect to earn around €54,726 per year. If we round that up to €55,000, that works out to around €2771 after taxes and deductions. Housing will be affordable for you if you work in tech. Luckily tech jobs are also quite secure as people from all over the world are moving to Munich and this is making the housing market a little challenging. Owners can be picky when choosing tenants so having a contract locked in before you start looking could be helpful in your house hunt. What is Munich like for International Arrivals? Moving to a new city can be scary. You leave everything and everyone you know behind and start over in a new place. You want that transition to go as smoothly as possible, so just how easy will it be? Munich has a population of 1.5 million and over 400,000 of those are not German. It has become one of the most international cities in the nation and that means that you will find everything you need to make your move easy and welcoming. You are sure to find others in Munich from your home city or country as well as thriving communities that share the same interests and are open to welcoming new people. Should you Start your Tech Career in Hamburg? Munich is often considered the top tech city in the country and for good reason. There is a thriving tech ecosystem that makes it the perfect location to start a new career in tech. In Munich, you will jump into a strong economy, be perfectly located to travel, and enjoy the support of a thriving tech community. Ready to kickstart your career in tech? Sign up for one of our bootcamps. Our tech school offers a range of immersive courses from UX/UI Design to Cybersecurity that are delivered in formats tailored to your needs: online or on campus, full-time or part-time. Sign up today .

We recently met with Daniel, a 32 year old front end developer. He trained with Ironhack in the very first Madrid cohort which started at the end of 2012. Being first to market in Spain meant that the first group of trainees would enter a whole undiscovered opportunity. It gave him the chance to be part of something bigger from the start. 10 years later he reflects about his experience and his journey which lead him to become a Senior Front-end Developer. He is now based in London, a capital for tech working with Beauhurst. Here is what he told us: What was your perception of bootcamps back then? What made you want to start? Back then, the tech “bootcamp” was not well known in Madrid, so Ironhack was really the first one coming up! It caught a lot of attention since it was something really new! At the time, we studied Ruby on Rails, the concept of tech bootcamps was still unknown, and it was an incredibly exciting opportunity. I was taking the bootcamp with both Ariel Quinones and Gonzalo Manrique, the co-founders of Ironhack, joining as fellow students. Before joining I did a Computer Science degree at university and I wanted more experience coding. I thought Ruby on Rails would be good for my CV, and thought why not learn something new! What have you been up to these past 10 years? I haven’t stopped learning! There are always new languages to learn. I’ve studied React, and Angular. Right now I’m focusing on React as I’m doing personal projects with React and using View in my work. It’s good to know the basis of these languages as you can compare what you like and what you learn more easily. I moved to London in 2015, started working almost immediately. What benefits did you get from doing Ironhack? One of the main benefits is the community! I’m still talking to the guys that did the bootcamp with me, some are in the US. You have this community that you can ask when you’re looking for someone with certain skills, you can help them and get help from them! Sometimes you get drinks together, sometimes you get interesting emails. So one of the best benefits is definitely the community. The other benefit would be the skills that you get that are actually used in work. It’s not like in university, where you have a lot of theory, in Ironhack everything that you do is applied in real work. Why did you move to London? Can you tell us about your experience finding the job and working in London’s tech scene? I learnt English in the USA, in San Francisco, and I asked them what is the place in Europe most similar to San Francisco, and they said London! It’s the most cosmopolitan, everyone speaks English, there’s a lot of buzz in fintech and job opportunities in tech in general, so it was the place to be! My first day in London I went to a meetup and got a job, The fourth day since arriving to London was Monday and I started working! This city is crazy, always busy and always changing! People care about how you’re treated, the companies care for you, you work with people from around the world, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish, English, etc. The salaries here are excellent as well. What has been the outcome from the time you took the bootcamp to what you’re doing today? I guess if I look back from the boot camp until today, I think it helped me a lot to open my mind, to know what my strengths were at that moment but also, help me a lot to Interact with people much older than me and work as a team. Remember that I was 21 when I did it. So all these points are things that from the bootcamp I realized I needed and today I am still trying to improve them. What have been some of the most amazing achievements that you have accomplished since then? Well, I am quite proud right now of the Beauhurst platform, the company I've worked with over the last 5 years. It is something that I care about a lot. What is your current role, company and responsibilities? How have they changed over the years? Right now, I am a senior front end developer at Beauhurst.  We are redesigning the entry platform and at the same time I need to help juniors to progress to their task. Since the beginning I remember the first website I made… I will say to myself, good job but you need to improve in this or that, so keep going! Lastly, what would you say to someone who’s thinking about breaking into tech or just getting started? First I would tell them to try any tutorial and try to build something to get the feeling of if they’d like to work in this industry. Check job offers and their requirements, try to see yourself working in that environment and if it suits you. If you want to work remotely, try working by yourself for a couple of days and see how you feel. If you want to work in a company, try working in a coffee shop with a little bit of noise and see how that feels. Go to meet-ups, meet people, open your mind and see if it’s really what you want to do. Now Daniel joins the alumni network that we’ve built for Ironhack in the UK. He keeps building more connections while learning and supporting others and taking part at community events.

Not even the star of the New York City ballet makes such a split. Tech startups are seen either as " sexy and well paid " or " a complete mess where you’ll be a slave." In this guide, you'll find an outline of what working at a startup is truly like. Let's jump in! What’s a Startup Anyway? First of all, let's agree on what a startup is. The common definition in the ecosystem is that it is a company that has not yet found its business model . It is neither a question of age (there are startups that are more than 10 years old — look at Uber! — and much younger companies that are not startups anymore) nor of size (a company with 3 employees as well as a mega-scale-up with 3,000 employees can be one). Since the company is looking for financial balance, it often seeks to raise money , which it uses in a " cash burn. " That's why it's common to have weekly, monthly or trimestrial meetings where the management shares the financial balance sheets and where they take stock of the money they have left when working in a startup. It’s quite common for those kinds of companies to hold check-ins with the C-team to compare goals with actual numbers, congratulate their teams if it is a good match, or improve if it is not. In these cases, employees do know how many months of funding the company has left if it does not become profitable. No surprises there! A Faster Ecosystem These notions of possible bankruptcy and test and learn on the product to find the best market-fit explain why in a startup, everything goes faster than elsewhere . It's far from being a smooth ride, but that's what's so exciting about it! It's an excellent ecosystem for those who want to test things quickly; we generally spend little time on an idea that is not very successful, whereas we spend money on those that are promising with potential customers. Since you have little time, you use methods specially developed in Silicon Valley to quickly test an idea, develop it, and put it on the market at low cost . Two examples would be the famous Sprint invented by Jake Knapp (testing an idea and making a prototype in 5 days) or the MVP (Minimum Viable Product), which aims at creating a saleable product or service in only a few weeks. There is a saying that tells that one year of work in a startup is worth four elsewhere. On this kind of professional rollercoaster where you have to learn on the job and test things, you also acquire experience quite fast. This all can be very frustrating for perfectionists who like to release polished features. But for builders who like to invent, create, and start over, it's an absolutely exhilarating playground. KPIs Are King In a startup, you can try a thousand things but you have to decide if they make sense quickly . For that, there's no secret: you have to set goals and thoroughly measure if they are reached, exceeded, or failed. Generally, the key performance indicators are set on several levels. - The company level (usually 3 to 5 super-objectives to which the whole team contributes) - The team level: objectives to be reached collectively - The employee level The least we can say is that for people who are averse to numbers, 6 months to 1 year in a startup will overcome their reluctance . They will become test and learn leaders and will be better able to justify their decisions through data analysis. This does not mean that intuition has no place in a startup; however, it depends on the training and the mindset of the founders and C-Team. But it surely has a lesser empire because every dollar must be used wisely and justifiably. Try Fast, Fail Fast In startups, HRs often hire creative and hybrid profiles, capable of thinking out of the box. These multi-skilled people will allow the company to be competitive and innovative . They are asked to prototype their ideas with three bits of string (the sprints we mentioned earlier) and to move on quickly if it doesn't work. Flexible Environments A high level of work in a startup is required: the ability to be productive, efficient, and to put in a lot of hard work during peak periods for the business. On the other hand, working environments are often pleasant and the conditions are quite flexible . Startups were the first to repaint their offices, install nap rooms, and ping pong tables. One could say that it is abnormal to have to sleep in the office, yet more and more people are happy to nap 20 minutes before a rush of meetings. Silicon Valley startups were also pioneers for remote work , long before the COVID wave. Some of them, such as Spotify, Atlassian, Reddit, and Lyft, are fully remote. In short, startup founders don't really care how you get the job done, as long as it is done and done well. This suits a lot of employees quite well. And it works, as long as you can discipline yourself to protect your work-life balance (because the company usually won't do it for you!). High Risk But High Gain Potential Finally, let's talk money ! It's no secret that Facebook's first employees are now so rich they don't know what to do with their money. Same thing with many "early stage" employees of startups that eventually became profitable, or even unicorns. But that's not so common. One of the hopes when working in a startup is to hit the jackpot. But this only happens if the company raises enough money and manages to perform well enough to be valued. However, it is necessary to have negotiated participation in the company in the form of BSPCE, shares, or even profit-sharing . And above all, that it's contractual; many young entrepreneurs have been tricked "on trust." The other side of the coin is that you can be very poorly paid because you have shares in the company (in return), but they will never be worth anything. This is a way for startup founders to get cheap labor: some people believe that they will succeed; they are not dishonest even if they fail. Others take advantage of workers' trust. In short, it's the responsibility of the employees to weigh the potential of a young company and negotiate their fixed, variable and possibly their package containing shares with full knowledge of the facts, so they won't be surprised if this is just a smokescreen. In any case, an experience in such a frenetic and demanding environment is well worth it. You will at least enjoy the ride!

Cybersecurity is one of those buzzwords that we hear all the time, but if you were put on the spot, could you define it? We can: cybersecurity is protecting internet-connected systems from cyber attacks or threats. Both individuals and organizations employ cybersecurity professionals to guard their private or sensitive data. Companies that have cybersecurity policies can benefit from the following: Protection against cyberattacks and data breaches Network protection No unauthorized user access Protection for end users and endpoint devices Improved trust and confidence in the company Still not sure what cyber threats exist? Phishing, ransomware, and medical device attacks are three of the most common. Here’s what you need to know: Phishing : this is probably one of the most well-known cyber attacks and uses targeted digital messages to trick people into clicking on a link which will then expose their data or install malware on their device. Through phishing, cybercriminals can gain access to financial information, user logins , and more. Ransomware : ransomware attacks are typically launched at companies and use technologies to allow them to take control of a company’s entire database and systems, holding the information for ransom. Medical device attacks : today, the vast majority of patient records are held online and hackers can take advantage of this to hack hospital systems and release sensitive information. Why Cybersecurity? Cybersecurity is more important today than ever before, protecting the following information: sensitive data, personally identifiable information, protected health information, personal information, intellectual property, data, and governmental and industry information systems. Take a look at these four reasons why cybersecurity is on the rise: Increased cyber threats to companies: as more and more people have access to the Internet, cybercriminals are taking the opportunity to get the organization’s data and engage in theft, fraudulent emails, financial theft, hacking, viruses, and more. Increased cyber threats to individuals : regardless of who you are, individuals are also susceptible to cyber attacks which can result in identity theft, financial theft, and more. Cybercrime is expensive : did you know that data breaches can cost companies an average of $3.62 million ? And the recent expansion from office working to remote working at home has facilitated even more attacks and data breaches. Cybercriminals are also evolving : as cybersecurity gets more sophisticated, so do cyberattacks. Companies can’t just put one cybersecurity policy into place; having a developed and evolving cybersecurity team can help prevent future, new attacks. What Do Cybersecurity Professionals Do? To put it simply, cybersecurity professionals protect a company’s software, hardware, and company networks from cyber attacks and threats. And to do this, they study the IT infrastructure of the company to fully understand the network and anticipate any possible breaches. On a more detailed level, cybersecurity professionals control and limit user access controls and access management systems, monitor network and application performance, identify irregular activity, run regular audits on security practices, create a disaster/recovery plan in the case of a data breach, and work with the rest of the company to educate the team on the importance of cybersecurity. Skills of cybersecurity professionals Although cybersecurity skills mean that you can take on a wide range of roles, cybersecurity professionals should have the following hard and soft skills: Network and system administration Operating systems and virtual machines knowledge Network security control Coding Cloud security Internet of Things Blockchain AI Critical thinking Risk analysis Career Options in Cybersecurity As a relatively new field, the options in cybersecurity are endless . Here’s a helpful breakdown of possible roles and the path they could provide: Entry level positions in cybersecurity Cyprographers, security engineers, ethical hackers , security analysts, forensic experts, vulnerability assessors, security administrators. Mid-level positions in cybersecurity Security architect, incident response, security auditor, policy positions. Senior management positions in cybersecurity Security manager, security director, Chief Information Security Officer These diverse roles and clear ladder to climb can help you gain the necessary skills and experience to become a well-paid, skilled cybersecurity professional. Cybersecurity with Ironhack You now understand why cybersecurity is such a crucial part of all companies, no matter the size. At Ironhack, we’re dedicated to training the next generation of cybersecurity professionals with the exact skills you need to know - and nothing else. Here’s what to expect from Ironhack’s cybersecurity bootcamp: Online prework Cybersecurity prework: before the course This course has 20 hours of prework, where you’ll become familiar with computer systems, operating systems, and networks; this is the essential knowledge you need to start learning once the bootcamp starts. And don’t worry: despite the fact that it’s online, you’ll have online assistance from Ironhack’s staff and other students. Module 1 Introduction to cybersecurity Learn the theoretical concepts behind cybersecurity to fully understand the industry such as networking traffic, communication principles, network protocols, telecommunication concepts, and the OWASP principles. During this module, you’ll begin your first project and get your hands dirty creating and analyzing critical network servers, encrypting and decrypting data, and more. Module 2 Security and threats Put your skills to the test and start identifying and dealing with common threats; you’ll create a detection and prevention system in addition to just identifying problems. Module 2 will also host information on cyber-forensic methodologies and investigation, helping you build a secure environment. Module 3 Real projects for your new career During the last weeks of your bootcamp, it’s time to tackle real time cyberattacks and focus on market trends and the latest happenings in the sector. Your final project will show off everything you’ve learned, solidify those hard skills and prepare you for your professional journey. What to expect from Ironhack’s Cybersecurity bootcamp: Join the fastest growing area in tech… Cybersecurity has had 0% unemployment for almost ten years; this is the perfect industry to dive into. …take advantage of the workplace gap… Companies are in desperate need of skilled professionals that can handle the newest challenges in cybersecurity. …learn to handle digital breaches and business vulnerabilities… Learn the skills needed to protect e-commerce, mobile payments, cloud computing, Big Data and analytics, social media, IoT, AI, machine learning, and much more. …and understand the importance of cybersecurity post-pandemic. More people are working from home and cybercriminals are taking advantage of weaker systems; this is the time to jump into the industry. Why Choose Ironhack? Ironhack’s bootcamps are specifically designed to get you ready for a career in cybersecurity with intensive and practical training. And that’s not all: Ironhack also offers financing options , career services , and a robust alumni network . Are you ready to change your life and enroll in Ironhack’s Cybersecurity bootcamp today? Apply now .

There’s never been a better time to jump into tech and start doing something you truly love. There’s a wide range of roles and responsibilities within tech and you can pick the one that is best for you. But where should you start? At Ironhack, of course! We offer four bootcamps, either in-person or online, where you can learn the essentials of cybersecurity , UX/UI design , data analytics , or web development . Ready to get started? Cybersecurity in 2023 Cybersecurity is protecting internet-connected systems from cyber attacks or threats. Both individuals and organizations employ cybersecurity professionals to guard their private or sensitive data. Take a look at these four reasons why cybersecurity is on the rise: Increased cyber threats to companies: as more and more people have access to the Internet, cybercriminals are taking the opportunity to get the organization’s data and engage in theft, fraudulent emails, financial theft, hacking, viruses, and more. Increased cyber threats to individuals : regardless of who you are, individuals are also susceptible to cyber attacks which can result in identity theft, financial theft, and more. Cybercrime is expensive : did you know that data breaches can cost companies an average of $3.62 million ? And the recent expansion from office working to remote working at home has facilitated even more attacks and data breaches. Cybercriminals are also evolving : as cybersecurity gets more sophisticated, so do cyberattacks. Companies can’t just put one cybersecurity policy into place; having a developed and evolving cybersecurity team can help prevent future, new attacks. Career options in cybersecurity As such an in-demand and urgent role, cybersecurity professionals can take on a large number of positions: Entry level positions in cybersecurity Cyprographers, security engineers, ethical hackers , security analysts, forensic experts, vulnerability assessors, security administrators. Mid-level positions in cybersecurity Security architect, incident response, security auditor, policy positions. Senior management positions in cybersecurity Security manager, security director, Chief Information Security Officer Cybersecurity with Ironhack You now understand why cybersecurity is such a crucial part of all companies, no matter the size. At Ironhack, we’re dedicated to training the next generation of cybersecurity professionals with the exact skills you need to know - and nothing else. UX/UI Design in 2023 UX design handles the overall user experience with a brand, product, or service. On the other hand, UI design deals with interactions between users and computer systems, applications, and software. UX Designers Putting it simply, a UX Designer makes a product or service usable, enjoyable, and accessible and is responsible for the user’s satisfaction (or lack thereof) with a brand. They’re tasked with understanding both the user and the brand, conducting user research, analyzing what’s been learned, designing the site itself, and conducting user testing. Hard skills: research, information architecture, wireframing, prototyping Soft skills: communication, collaboration, critical thinking, and empathy UI Designers UI Designers, to compare, create the more intuitive and user-friendly parts of a website or application, handling colors, typography, space, visual design, animation, responsive design, and more. But that’s not all: they also have to ensure that the different screens look good and work well together. Hard skills: visual communication, design, usability testing, animation Soft skills: active listening, diplomacy, advocacy, communication Career options in UX/UI design UX Designer: If you want to be responsible for creating the entire design process, you can begin as a Junior UX Designer and work your way up to managing a team of UX Designers. UX/UI Designer: interested in the creative side of things? Great, consider incorporating UI design into your career plans. In this kind of role, you’ll focus more on the creative and visual aspects of web design, using your experience in design to create incredible user experiences. Freelancer/Consultant : lots of companies are looking for advice on their current UX/UI design or can’t afford to bring on a full-time designer. Working as a freelancer or consultant can help you increase your flexibility while gaining experience in a wide range of fields. Product Designer: instead of just handling the product or service page on the front and back ends, product designers also contribute to the overall project vision and design, creating long term goals. If you’re interested in the entire scheme of things and working with other teams, like marketing, this is the role for you. UX Researcher : if you’re fascinated by the research behind UX/UI design and have a background in analytical fields, UX Researcher may be the perfect fit for you. In this role, you’ll be analyzing results and researching solutions, looking to solve any problems and dive even further into the field. UX/UI Design with Ironhack In just 9 or 24 weeks, Ironhack’s UX/UI design bootcamp is specifically designed to teach out all the basics of the field and prepare you for the workforce . The best part? No IT background is required - or even expected! Data Analytics in 2023 Defined as the process of cleaning, transforming, and modeling data to learn information for decision-making, data analysis is a lot more common than you might think. There are five main benefits of data analytics for businesses . Take a look: Customer experience personalization Better and informed decision making Organized operations Reduced risk and mistakes Improved security Career options in data analytics Most data analysts tend to follow one of these four career paths: Data scientist: working as a data scientist will help you gain highly valued experience with data, learning more programming skills, machine learning basics, and advanced math. Management: if you’re more interested in the data interpretation side of things, looking for a role in management could be perfect for you. In this role, you’ll be responsible for interpreting the data in useful ways for the company and presenting findings to different teams. Specialist: once you have data analyst experience under your belt, you’ll know exactly what you like and might choose to specialize in a specific area, such as business, operations, marketing, systems, or finance. Consultant: experience in the field will also allow you to work as a consultant for a wide range of clients, allowing you to diversify the areas in which you work and creating a more flexible work schedule. Data Analytics with Ironhack Data is taking center stage in a wide range of industries and the skills from this bootcamp will set you on the path to success. Beyond simply extracting data, you have to know how to use it. And at Ironhack, you’ll learn how to explain it to diverse audiences. Web Development in 2023 Web developers both create and maintain websites and focus on the backend of the website, such as its technical design, performance, capacity, speed, and capabilities. There are three main kinds of web developers: Backend developers: backend developers write the website’s code, create its structure, and ensure everything runs smoothly. Frontend developers: frontend developers work on the side of the website that visitors see and design the physical layout of each page, incorporate graphics and use HTML and JavaScript to improve the script. Fullstack developers: fullstack developers work on both the back and front ends, typically on teams that don’t have the budget or resources to employ both frontend and backend developers. Career options in web development Web developers can work in the following areas (and more!), thanks to their highly valuable skills - and that’s not all! This bootcamp is also useful for marketers looking to become more familiar with the work developers do: Graphic design Database administration Application development Marketing UX design Cybersecurity Web development with Ironhack At Ironhack, theory and practice come together to help you enter the workforce as successfully as possible, incorporating hard skills at a manageable pace. You’ll be able to learn HTML, CMS, and JavaScript, gain expertise in important frameworks, learn about version control with Git and GitHub, increase your knowledge of servers and hosting, and understand working with databases and the agile methodology. Whew, that’s a lot. And that’s the best part! Ironhack’s courses are designed to meet industry needs, curating your education to ensure you can be the next tech professional in your dream company. Interested in starting 2023 off on the right foot and kickstarting your tech career? Apply to Ironhack today.

“Tech is in my DNA. In the 80’s, before I could remember anything, my dad got me electric toys. I used to tear them apart in the garage to understand how they worked. I’ve been obsessed with Tech my entire life.” As far back as he can remember, Eric Weiss has always been fascinated by computers. As a teenager, he used to hack computers for his classmates. His first job as a student was as Tech Support at an Internet service provider. He was even a hacker for a while, even if he does not shout it from the rooftops. After a degree in computer engineering and a career as a Product professional, Eric became an executive coach for fast-growing tech companies. For the past 15 years, he has helped companies build products, engage with their customers, find the right product-market fit, raise capital and scale their businesses quickly. This experience has allowed him to analyze patterns present in most growing companies. The Common Challenge for Startup CTOs “Tech leaders can be a bottleneck to their company’s growth if they don’t let go of some activities.” For Eric, there comes a critical moment in the life of a start-up when the Chief Technology Officer must let go to evolve his role . In his opinion, this is one of the crucial management challenges that can cause a real bottleneck in tech teams and mechanically slow down the growth of a company , since it relies partly on the ability of the product and technical teams to deliver the products. Eric entitled a common pattern that he called the Hero Mindset . “ A lot of CTOs have very high standards, they’re almost perfectionists," he states. "They really struggle to delegate in terms of trust and even in terms of leadership and communication, so somebody else can take ownership of a whole domain." This means that they are quickly overwhelmed. Eric remembers a CTO who managed a team of 40 people and did an hour one-to-one meeting a week with each of them, in addition to his CTO duties and handling IT on top of that. As a consultant, Eric’s challenge is to calibrate the missions of a CTO so that he puts his time and energy where it is most useful and the company needs them to be. And the end goal: “You’ve graduated as an executive when you become this sort of zen human being that floats around the office and starts checking people and helping along the way. That’s the highest form of leadership." CTOs: Access the Highest Form of Leadership by (Re)Focusing Your Tasks To avoid any bottleneck and keep a technical team moving forward, Eric offers the CTOs he accompanies a schedule that helps them define their most useful duties. He suggests listing everything they do all week long and categorizing it as follows: Diagonal: good fit , where the company needs them to be One side: tasks where their focus is too low although there is a high need. Those are the areas of growth Other side: where their focus is high & the need is low: here, Eric helps them delegate . Even though delegating requires a real learning curve , it creates space. To do it well, Eric has established a multi-step method: Identify areas to delegate Get somebody else in Coach them along the way and give feedback Feel good enough with this person to let go. “It’s almost like an apprenticeship," Eric states. How to Grow Even More as a CTO To go even further, Eric advises to work on growth limiters . He notices that almost all CTOs are afraid of stopping the machine if they delegate too quickly. But they are the ones who seize up while refusing to let go. The challenge is to work on their mindset to make them understand that everything will not go wrong if they let go. “Maybe a little bit of messy growth versus trying to hold back the pressure and limiting the growth of the company while burning them out." Last but not least, Eric's advice is to never neglect the leadership development plan . Due to lack of time or time from their hierarchy, CTOs may give continuous improvement goals to their teams but not have any for themselves. However, they need to articulate goals, defined in time, specific and linked to their objectives to become a better version of their professional selves. It's a version in which their talent will no longer be measured by their purely technical skills, but rather by their aura as tech facilitators. “At this stage, a CTO’s value is no longer measured in his own productivity but in the productivity of others and how he can motivate, inspire, lead, manage, and coordinate his team. That’s the most scary thing for many people to let go of," Eric concludes.

Today we’re introducing another one of those popular careers in tech: data analytics . And although it may sound fancy and complicated, we all actually do data analytics every single day in our own lives. How? Defined as the process of cleaning, transforming, and modeling data to learn information for decision-making, data analysis is a lot more common than you might think. Here’s an example: you’re trying to decide where to go for dinner on Friday night. You have memories (data) of past times you went out to dinner, such as the time, restaurant, and food selection. As you make your decision, you’ll use your memories of previous experiences to make an informed choice. Why Data Analytics? No matter the goal, size, or sector, every company has a need for data analysts to extract those valuable insights. In order to improve your business processes, you have to have a clear picture of the past in order to avoid repeating the same mistakes and connect further with your target audience. Types of data analytics: Text : used to transform large amounts of data into valuable information, helping to extract important points. Statistical : takes a sample selection of data to draw conclusions. Diagnostic : answers the question, “Why did it happen?” through researching data patterns. Predictive : predicts what is likely to happen in the future using past data as reference. Prescriptive : using all the insights from these previous analyses, smart decisions are made. Benefits of data analytics There are five main benefits of data analytics for businesses . Take a look: Customer experience personalization Better and informed decision making Organized operations Reduced risk and mistakes Improved security With these five highlights, data analytics is a sector that’s on the rise and essential for all companies. And that’s why data analysts are in such high demand. What Do Data Analysts Do? As you might have guessed, data analysts take a company’s data and analyze it, looking to draw conclusions to help the business avoid past mistakes and improve. Some data analysts then report their findings to leadership or other teams; others simply clean up the data and make it understandable. A quick breakdown of data analysts’ responsibilities would be the following: identify the data you want to analyze, collect the data, clean the data, analyze the data, interpret the results. Sounds simple, right? It is a rather straightforward line of work and one that’s on the rise: the World Economic Forum ranked it as the #2 fastest growing jobs in the US , with 25% growth before 2030. Career Options in Data Analytics Data analysis is such a crucial part of practically any business that this field is wide open. However, most data analysts tend to follow one of these four career paths: Data scientist: working as a data scientist will help you gain highly valued experience with data, learning more programming skills, machine learning basics, and advanced math. Management: if you’re more interested in the data interpretation side of things, looking for a role in management could be perfect for you. In this role, you’ll be responsible for interpreting the data in useful ways for the company and presenting findings to different teams. Specialist: once you have data analyst experience under your belt, you’ll know exactly what you like and might choose to specialize in a specific area, such as business, operations, marketing, systems, or finance. Consultant: experience in the field will also allow you to work as a consultant for a wide range of clients, allowing you to diversify the areas in which you work and creating a more flexible work schedule. Data Analytics with Ironhack Choose from a full or part-time bootcamp with Ironhack to kickstart your career in data analytics. Learn from industry experts - with no previous knowledge required! Module 0 Data prework Before the bootcamp even begins, you’ll receive 60 hours of online work to study the basics of command line, Git, Python, MySQL, and statistical analysis. It might seem overwhelming, but you’ll have the rest of your class and Ironhack’s staff ready to help you when you need it. Module 1 Introduction to data analytics and Python Ready to jump into data analytics? During the first few weeks of the bootcamp, you’ll set up your development environment and review your online prework and start working with data cleaning, APIs, web scraping and learning the basic skills of Git, SQL, and Python. Module 2 Advanced data analytics The second module is more math-intensive with a focus on statistics, probability, and the mathematical concepts behind data analytics with the help of Python . And you’ll also learn presenting techniques before starting your very own data analysis project, where you will process, clean, and present your data. Module 3 Get a handle of the fundamentals of machine learning This module will mainly focus on the basics of machine learning, teaching you how to build a machine learning project from beginning to end, make predictions on actual data sets , and prepare you to work with real life data. Your final project will consist of building your own data set, defending it, and presenting it to the class. But that’s not all! This project will be the basis for you r professional portfolio , a necessary part of any application for data analysis roles. What to expect from Ironhack’s Data Analytics bootcamp: Access to the cutting-edge… Data is taking center stage in a wide range of industries and the skills from this bootcamp will set you on the path to success. …while gaining real data experience and hard skills… Becoming fluent in Python, SQL, and Tableau will set you apart from the competition. …and seeing how data drives decisions. Beyond simply extracting data, you have to know how to use it. And at Ironhack, you’ll learn how to explain it to diverse audiences. Why Choose Ironhack? Ironhack’s bootcamps are specifically designed to get you ready for a career in data analytics with intensive and practical training. And that’s not all: Ironhack also offers financing options , career services , and a robust alumni network . Are you ready to change your life and enroll in Ironhack’s data analytics bootcamp today? Apply now .