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Talent Market in Berlin

Talent Market in Berlin

Berlin’s start-up and tech scene is booming with the city being dubbed the “Silicon Valley of Europe”. Start-ups in the capital bagged an incredible €2.67 billion in funding from a total of 233 financing rounds in 2018 putting the city on par with Paris and London. 8 out of the 10 most desirable start-ups in Germany are located in Berlin with an estimated 30% of the nation’s start-ups setting up in the city. Large multinationals such as N26, Zalando, Delivery Hero, Autogroup 1 and HelloFresh are all headquartered in this tech haven. This incredible shift from “poor but sexy” to the “Silicon Valley of Europe” has caused a serious strain on the supply of talent. Companies based in Berlin are now locked in a ‘talent war’ as demand for talent is quickly outstripping supply. According to LinkedIn data, there is 32,000 listed developers in Berlin, an increase of 15% from this time a year ago. Approximately, 50,000 internationals relocate to Berlin annually and as the tech scene continues to flourish, this figure continues to increase. This continual influx of talent does serve to mitigate some of the talent supply issues, however the volume of talent entering Berlin is not enough to meet the ever-growing demand. It is estimated that a new start-up is founded every twenty minutes in the capital. Furthermore, companies are struggling to retain talent in a candidate driven market. The locus of power now resides with the employee, who can now afford to pick and choose between employers. This reality is reflected in the volatile attrition rates of developers in the city. Approximately 30% of all developers have switched jobs within the last twelve months with the average tenure of a Berlin-based developer being just 1.4 years. Highly desirable companies to work for are even struggling to retain talent as salaries and remuneration packages continue to inflate. These worrying statistics convey a prevailing issue amongst employers - how to retain top talent. The generous salary and remuneration packages don’t seem to be enough to keep developers in house. Companies need to discover what their employees really value about their jobs aside from their pay and benefits. According to a LinkedIn survey of Berlin based developers, the most important value-proposition for this group is work-life balance. Developers want to have the time to enjoy their lives outside of their careers in a way that suits their lifestyle. This includes items like flexible working and remote working options. In a city as vibrant as Berlin, this carries more weight as there is plenty to do outside the office. The second most important value-proposition for developers is challenging work. Developers actively seek to challenge their intellect and skillset on a daily basis. This is one of the reasons why ground level start-ups can be so attractive to developers compared to large multinationals. The third highest ranking item on the list is company culture. A company’s culture can really help them stand out of the crowd, culture is a unique selling point that is very hard to replicate. It is important to not only have a positive culture that inspires and motivates employees, but to communicate and advertise it through various social media platforms and websites like TrustPilot and Glassdoor. Berlin is on its way to establishing itself as start-up and tech powerhouse that rivals nearly any city around the globe. Without a doubt, attracting and retaining top talent will be the key to maintaining this trajectory. As demand for talent continues to outstrip supply, retention becomes ever-more important to companies looking to facilitate their growth.
Tech Scene in Stockholm

Tech Scene in Stockholm

In recent years, Sweden has emerged as one of the most advanced countries in the world with Stockholm, it’s capital, gaining the reputation of Europe’s “unicorn factory”. Stockholm is home to more $1 billion-plus companies per capita than anywhere outside of Silicon Valley with King, Mojang, Spotify, Klarna and iZettle just to name a few. Spotify is one of the latest unicorns to emerge from Stockholm with the musical giant recently announcing it hit the 100 million paying subscribers mark. Once only known for Ericsson, IKEA and Volvo, Stockholm has transformed its economy and market and is now being dubbed the ‘Entrepreneurial Capital of Europe’. A frenzy of successful acquisitions and IPOs in Stockholm has triggered a virtuous circle with success only breeding more success. How Has It Grown So Successfully? Sweden’s tech scene success can be attributed to a variety of factors. Swedes have always been early adopters of tech with the Swedish government actively encouraging this. Swedes were offered a tax break on personal computers way back in the nineties. Stockholm was home to the world’s largest open-fibre network in 1994 and was the first city in the world to launch 2G, 3G, 4G and now 5G. Stockholm boasts an incredibly supportive start-up ecosystem with vital access to co-working spaces, start-up hubs, events, innovation grants and a growing number of angel investors and venture capital firms. Sweden’s strong social security system offers a safety net to entrepreneurs looking to be creative and take risks. Furthermore, successful Swedish entrepreneurs are always looking to offer support to start-ups. Notable names include Erik Byrenius, Henrik Torstensson and Jane Walerud. These business angels encapsulate the innovative and sharing culture of this Nordic city. Despite its meagre population of less than one million, Stockholm boasts one of the highest concentrations of tech professionals in Europe. Programmer or software developer is the most common job title in Stockholm with approximately 18% of the workforce in high-tech related jobs. Start-up Hubs As previously mentioned, Stockholm plays host to an incredibly supportive start-up ecosystem with start-up hubs dotted all around the city. Here are five of the most prominent hubs; The Factory: Largest innovation and tech hub in the Nordics that hosts 1400+ people, 100+ start-ups and scale-ups, VCs, a tech school, labs and innovation centres. SUP46: Epicentre of Stockholm’s start-up community with over 2000m2 of space. Things: 2,000m2 co-working space for hardware start-ups – IoT, robotics, etc. Epicentar: Epicentar offers hackathons, ideathons and offers flexible workplaces, studios, meeting rooms as well as world-class workshops and international lectures all year long. Norrsken House: Norrsken House is Europe’s biggest tech hub dedicated to social impact and houses people with the vision to change the world. Venture Capital Firms Venture capital firms are highly active in Stockholm. €1.25 billion was invested in tech companies in 2016 with over €4 billion being invested since 2012. Almi, Zenith, Wellstreet Ventures, Standout Capital, Creandum, EQT Ventures, Industrifoden, NFT Ventures are just some of the plethora of VC firms operating in Stockholm. Stockholm is renowned for its impressive exits. Not only was €1.25 billion invested into start-ups in the city, the exit value in the same year was €1.75 billion. Colossal exits and IPOs are not uncommon in the Swedish capital. King, the gaming start-up was acquired by Activision Blizzard for €5.5 billion in 2015. iZettle was acquired by fin-tech giant PayPal for €2 billion in 2018 and Spotify’s IPO finished around the €25 billion mark. Stockholm’s start-up and tech scene is flourishing with all indications showing no sign of the growth slowing. The future is bright for this northerly city, despite the 20 hours of darkness in winter! Looking for a job in Stockholm? Check out our full list of vancancies here.
Angular Vs. React

Angular Vs. React

If you are a frontend developer, it’s likely you have worked with Angular or React. In recent times, we have seen the popularity and proliferation of React steadily increase, especially among new developers and start-ups. Traditionally, Angular has been the dominant frontend framework with Google releasing new versions every few years (Angular 7 at the time of writing). What has caused the uptake of React opposed to Angular and what are the key differences amongst the two? Angular, developed by Google in 2010, is JavaScript framework written in TypeScript. React, developed by Facebook in 2013, is a JavaScript library for building user interfaces. Companies such as Forbes and Wix use Angular while the likes of Twitter, Netflix and Uber use React. Angular is a fully-fledged MVC framework that offers many ‘out of the box’ functionalities. Angular is a complete framework that uses a two-directional data flow process. React on the other hand is merely a JavaScript library, it only provides the view (V) in MVC. React is only concerned with one-directional data flow but can be bundled with other programming libraries. Angular offers quite a lot of advantages to developers and companies alike. It has a very credible background and a strong community support system. Angular is used more globally than React which has led to more tutorials and open-source contributions being available online. Angular is also quick to set up and a common part of many developers’ tech stacks. However, Angular has a steep learning curve and due to the excess syntax for the simplest things, coding times are increased which inevitably delays projects. This is a key influencing factor in the rise of React. React does not have a steep learning curve and it enables developers to create projects and build apps quicker than Angular. Code can be easily reproduced and copied streamlining developer’s work. React is also considered to be more stable than Angular due to its single-direction data flow. Developers are growing very fond of React with GitHub and StackOverflow statistics conveying this fact. React is the leading choice for 66.9% of developers with Angular lagging behind at 51.7%. React’s developer community is growing stronger every year being backed by the likes of Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp. Community support is very influential to the popularity of a language, as the support for React continues to rise, the popularity of React will rise accordingly. What does this all mean to you as a developer? Future proofing your tech stack is always highly recommended and with the rate of change in the technology industry increasing year on year, this recommendation stands true. If you are a developer using Angular, there is a plentiful supply of vacancies in well-respected companies. However, this could all change in a matter of years. As previously mentioned, new dominant forces in the tech industry such as Netflix and Twitter use React with start-ups often favouring React due to its reduced learning curve. Adding React to your knowledge base would serve to future proof your tech stack, (before Vue takes over but that’s a story for another day). If you are already familiar with JavaScript, then learning to work with React won’t be much of a hurdle. It is hard to definitively say which framework is better as they both offer their own sets of advantages and disadvantages. On the other hand, it is easy to definitively say that React’s popularity is continually growing with the framework fast becoming the frontend framework of choice for a significant amount of companies and developers.
RPA – Hype of The Future?

RPA – Hype of The Future?

Robotic Process Automation or RPA is pegged to be one of the next ‘big things’ in tech. However, the rate of innovation and change in the tech world is unlike any other industry. New buzz words like RPA appear every other week and it can be hard to distinguish the difference between hype and reality. A number of insiders from the industry say that RPA is not only the future of controllership, but it is fast becoming the present. To understand the future of RPA, we must first consider what RPA is, the main players pushing RPA and the venture capital behind it. RPA is the application of technology that enables one to configure computer software or a ‘robot’ to capture and interpret existing applications for processing a transaction, manipulating data, triggering responses and communicating with other digital systems. RPA is essentially a software robot that mimics human actions. It is often conflated with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) but there is a clear distinction between the two. At the most basic level, RPA is associated with ‘doing’ whereas AI and ML are concerned with ‘think and learning’. A simple example of RPAs applicability is automating the grunt work of retrieving emails. Retrieval is based on the email’s subject, downloading the attachments (e.g. invoices) into a defined folder, and then inputting the bills into accounting software (typically through copy and paste actions). RPA is highly process driven, it is simply automating repetitive, rule-based processes that typically require interaction with multiple, disparate IT systems. This is the key difference between RPA and AI, AI is concerned with high quality data. AI is required to intelligently “read” the invoices, and extract the pertinent information such as invoice number, supplier name, invoice due date, product description, amounts due, and many more. Since every activity in RPA needs to be explicitly programmed or scripted, it is practically impossible to teach the bot exactly where to extract the relevant information for each invoice received. Hence the need for AI to intelligently decipher the invoice just as a human would. RPA tech is hot. Industry experts have valued the industry at €2 billion with forecasts indicating this figure will rise to nearly €4 billion by 2022. These valuations are supported by venture capital investments into RPA companies. In 2018, RPA specialists Automation Anywhere secured €270 million from SoftBank, Kryon secured €35 million, Softomotive secured €22 million, and Automation Hero secured €12.5 million. The dominant force in the RPA sphere is UiPath, a New York based company founded in 2005. In 2018, UiPath received a sizeable €500 million investment in a series D round of funding led by hedge fund Coatue Management. This brought the company’s total funding figure to €1 billion with the company now being valued around the €7 billion mark, not so bad for ‘hype’. The big players like UiPath’s core selling point is that it brings automation to enterprise processes through “intelligent software robots” that help businesses carry out laborious, repetitive tasks using computer vision and rule-based processes. UiPath state that their software streamlines work processes by eliminating the laborious elements of a job, freeing up valuable time for employees to work on other things. As with all automation software, the impact on human jobs is a real concern. To date, the impact has yet to be assessed and the main players in the RPA industry are downplaying the potential negative impact of their software on jobs. Like many others in the automation world, they argue that RPA removes laborious elements of jobs rather than removing the job itself. Only the future will tell the impact technologies like RPA will have on the workforce. Regardless, it’s safe to say that all indications seem to convey that RPA is not just a fad or the future, it is fast becoming the present.
Tax System in Germany

Tax System in Germany

Tax System in Germany Understanding the tax system is vital when moving to a new country. Below is an account of Germany’s income tax system accurate as of 2019. This account was taken straight from our “Berlin Relocation Guide” which can be downloaded here: https://www.sigmarrecruitment.eu/relocating-to-germany/berlin If you are a resident of Germany, you have full income tax liability. All income earned in Germany and abroad is subject to German income tax and a solidarity surcharge. Germany’s income tax system is progressive, meaning that the rate of tax increases as income increases ranging from 0–45%. For married couples, rates are more favorable when tax is filed jointly. The tax year runs from January 1st to December 31st. If you do have to file your own taxes, the cutoff date is May 31st for the preceding year. The rates for 2019 are; 0 – 9,169 0% 9,169 - 14,255 14-24% 14-256 - 55,960 24-42% 55,691 – 265,236 42% 265,327+ 45% Solidarity Surcharge The solidarity surcharge (Solidaritaetszuschlag) is an additional fee on income tax, capital gains tax and corporate tax in Germany. This means that the solidarity surcharge is to be paid by every natural and legal person that owes one of the above-mentioned taxes in Germany. This surcharge is levied at 5.5% of the income tax for higher incomes. Withholding/Pay as you Earn Tax Income from employed work and capital income are taxed at the source, meaning you as a tax payer will not need to file your own taxes come year end. The tax owed will be deducted and retained at the source by the employer or by the bank before the earnings are payed out. If the employer is a German company or a foreign enterprise with a permanent establishment or a representative in Germany, the employer is legally obliged to withhold taxes from an employee’s salary and to remit the taxes to the tax office monthly. Paying Income Tax When you are taxed at the source, your tax will be based on your personal status. You will fall into a certain class that will directly affect how much tax you pay. Below are the six types of tax classes: Class 1: Single Class 2: Single parent (living alone with the child/children) Class 3: Married and spouse (when spouse does not have an income) Class 4: Married and similar income to spouse Class 5: Opposite of class 3, i.e this is the class the second earner chooses if the spouse opts for class 3 Class 6: For a second job or for deduction without proper employee information The taxation at source for capital income will be done with a flat tax rate of 25% (add solidarity surcharge of 5.5% of the amount of tax).
Venture Capital in Berlin

Venture Capital in Berlin

Venture Capital (VC) is the key to success for any start-up looking to turn an innovative idea into reality. VC firms provide capital, resources, strategic assistance, networks and much more to start-ups at the critical early stages. In the past, Berlin and Germany as a nation has lagged behind its EU and global counterparts partly as a result of the nation’s culture of avoiding risk. Business in Germany tends to move slowly and in a prudent fashion which doesn’t bode well for start-ups. In 2013, VC investments into Berlin start-ups totaled just €133 million. A snapshot of VC funding in 2018 paints a very different picture. VC funding has skyrocketed in the last few years with future projections conveying a similar trajectory. In 2018, a total of €4.6 billion was invested in German start-ups, a 7% increase on 2017. Berlin took a significant share of this VC funding with an incredible €2.67 billion flowing to start-ups in the capital, a 2000% increase on 2013. This figure accounts for 59% of all VC capital invested in Germany and is an increase of 6% from 2017. Berlin start-ups account for 4 out the top 5 largest financing amounts for start-ups in the nation. Where Was the Venture Capital Invested in Berlin? E-Commerce start-ups have always attracted the highest level of VC investments in Berlin and 2018 followed this trend. A total of €1.64 billion was invested in German E-Commerce start-ups with Berlin start-ups collecting a healthy 67% of this figure. E-Commerce platform Auto1 Group headquartered in Berlin topped the list receiving an influx of €460 million in 2018. An interesting emerging trend is the rise of VC funding for Software and Analytic start-ups. These innovative start-ups that comprise of innovative tech such as SaaS, blockchain, virtual reality, cloud, cyber security and data analytics raised a nationwide total of €670 million with €341 million funneling into Berlin. This 56% increase from 2017 portrays the increasing trust and interest in new, innovative tech start-ups. SaaS accounted for €304 million, almost half of the VC funding. FinTech start-ups also experienced healthy growth with €456 million flowing to FinTech start-ups in Berlin. What Caused this Significant Increase in Venture Capital Funding? German VC firms operate on a prudent basis which is in line with German business culture. In the last few years, many large international VC firms such as Atomico, Balderton Capital, Partech and Mangrove have begun to heavily invest in German start-ups with Berlin attracting most of the attention and funding. This flow of international VC funding has broken the cultural barrier of risk-adverse German VC firms. Furthermore, German VC firms have seen this influx of competition and the rewards experienced by international VC firms causing them to question their prudent methods. The future is bright for start-ups in Berlin as forecasts predict the influx of VC capital to continue to rise year on year.
Visas in Germany

Visas in Germany

There are several different types of visas in Germany, below is a list of the most applicable. Tourist & Visitor visa Family Reunion visa to join a relative or a partner Job Seeker visa Working visa Business visa Training/Internship visa A full list of German visas can be found at https://www.germany-visa.org/ Who Needs A Visa German law requires anyone who wishes to take up employment or pursue self-employment in Germany, to obtain a national visa if you are not from an EU member state. Exceptions to this: Nationals of Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Republic of Korea (South Korea) or the United States of America. Holders of an EU Blue Card which was issued by another EU member state, that has been valid for at least 18 months. Holders of the unlimited residence title EU Permanent Residence issued by an EU member state (except Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Great Britain, Ireland or Romania). Working Visa This is most likely the visa that you will need. A working visa or German employment visa is an opportunity for qualified foreigners to settle in Germany and work in their field. It gives its holder the chance to enter and work in Germany for up to two years, with the possibility of extending the visa, and later applying for an EU Blue Card, or other types of residence permits. Criteria for Obtaining a Visa According to the “Act on Residence”, the act that regulates the residence issue for foreigners in Germany, the following categories are eligible: Highly qualified foreigners, in particular: People with special technical knowledge. Teaching personnel in prominent positions or scientific personnel in prominent positions. Intra-corporate transferees, in particular: Managers. Specialists. Furthermore, third-world country nationals with a university degree or a non-academic vocational qualification that fulfil the conditions listed below: There is a shortage of skilled workers in the profession you want to practice in Germany. You have a concrete job offer. Your education must be recognized as equivalent with a German degree. How to Apply for a Germany Work Visa? Get a job offer in Germany. Check if you need a visa to Germany for long-stays. Find out where you need to submit your visa application. Collect all of the required documents according to the instructions. Make an appointment for a visa interview. Pay the German Employment Work visa fee. Attend the interview. Wait for a response on your visa application. What Documents Will You Need? Two fully completed application forms printed and signed. Two passport photos. National passport. Proof of residence (from the area of the consulate where you want to apply). Health insurance (This certificate is compulsory in Germany and will be given to you by your employer). An employment contract/binding job offer. CV. Proof of qualification (Diplomas/certificates). Personal covering letter (explaining the purpose and duration of your stay). Proof of clean criminal record. Proof of paid visa fee (€75). Declaration of accuracy of information (https://www.germany-visa.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Declaration-of-Accuracy%EF%BB%BF_Information.pdf) Where To Apply You should apply for your visa at the representative body of Germany in your country that is responsible for visa admission: German Embassy. A German Consulate. A Visa Application Centre. How Long Will It Take? The processing time for a ling-stay visa is between one and three months depending on how many visa applications have been received and your personal situation.
Keeping It Professional – How to use LinkedIn properly

Keeping It Professional – How to use LinkedIn properly

While there are plenty of social outlets to vent and express your feelings online, LinkedIn is not one of them. Outside of work we have all been told by a friend or colleague NOT to talk about work, regardless if the information is positive or negative, nobody wants to tackle these topics after 5:30. The same rules apply when it comes to LinkedIn and your working world. Nobody wants to hear your opinion on football, nor do they want to see photographs of your family, or that funny picture of a dog chasing its tail. There are plenty of social media outlets where you can express these interests and opinions. Try to differentiate your work world and your social world. LinkedIn is used by hundreds of millions of professionals worldwide. It is a place where you can sell/offer your experience and skills within the working community. How you demonstrate this information will be the reason why you are being headhunted by businesses and agencies, or on the contrary why you are finding it difficult to gain any traction in your network. Here are some key tips on how to get the most out of your LinkedIn profile. 1. Profile Picture: Your profile picture is a unique selling tool. Isn’t it always nice to have a face with the name? It makes you stand out more, makes you more memorable and ultimately portrays a big message to your professional network. When you’re using a picture, please do NOT have a picture of you including: Dogs, Cats, Bars, Nightclubs, group pictures, poorly formatted pictures or wearing a football kit. This is the first thing that a hiring manager will see, make it count, and make a positive impression. Recent surveys have shown that your profile is 11 times more likely to be viewed if you have a photograph on it than without. 2. Spelling/Grammar: This one is self-explanatory, yet it is the most common issue you’ll find on LinkedIn. Your LinkedIn personal page is essentially your own online stock for hiring managers to buy into. You want your stock to be professional, assertive and representative of your ability. Ensure to spell-check your personal information and details before you submit them on your page. This, of course, will rule out any “where, were, we’re OR they’re, there and their” mistakes that are most common. Remember, this is your professional profile – nobody else will correct your work for you. 3. Networking A great way to get the most from your LinkedIn is by expanding your network. LinkedIn users have a tendency to add their closest friends and don’t explore and maximise their potential to widen their networking net. Reach out to old acquaintances and colleagues, clients and customers, and most certainly your college alumni – these are quite likely the most beneficial additions to your network. They have probably pursued the same routes as you have and can provide you with a broader reach in your network. 4. Creativity: “Creative and Responsible” – are the most used adjectives by LinkedIn users over the last few years. Never have we seen such creativity and responsibility by users across the globe. Although going by this statistic we should be societies full of Steve Jobs’ and Richard Branson’s. True creativity now-a-days in the business world is explored via strategy. Please don’t misconstrue your creativity as an innovative personal attribute that no other user could possibly think of. Instead why don’t you portray this “creativity” via a different route? Present your publications, merits, videos and any other projects that will depict the right image of you. We must be strategic on what information we want on show and what will make us stand out and be remembered. I’d advise you not to use LinkedIn as a place of social interaction, rather see it as a way for you to canvas your experiences and skills to date, and interact with professional communities globally. Think professionalism every time you log in and you should be presenting your best foot forward.
Interview Nerves… Go Away!!!

Interview Nerves… Go Away!!!

“His palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy. He’s nervous, but on the surface he looks calm and ready…” Could a song sum up interview nerves and interviews in general any better than Eminem’s Lose Yourself? I think not! The intro says it all, you only have one chance to impress and secure yourself that opportunity so it’s no wonder that we all experience nerves when going to a job interview. The problem is these nerves can often be a hindrance to us. You’re trying to portray yourself as the confident, capable individual you are but instead your nerves reduce you to a sweaty palmed, voice trembling, body jittering fool. So what can you do to manage your nerves? 1. Be Prepared Number 1 has to be to always do your homework. The more you know the more confident you will feel when answering an interviewer’s questions. Research the company. Know their history, products/services, competitors etc. Also don’t confine your research to just the company’s website, check out their social media pages also. A company blog is a great way of finding out what the company is currently working on and talking about. The same goes for Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Pinterest. These pages can give you excellent information that you may not have found otherwise. 2. Say it out loud Secondly, practice answers for anticipated interview questions. Not only come up with answers to these questions but get used to actually speaking them. Quite often jobseekers come up with answers to interview questions in their heads but never practice their delivery and then end up sticking “ums” “ems” and “likes” in as filler as they rack their brains trying to remember what they wrote down. By practicing your answers aloud, it will calm your nerves and you will become more comfortable with your delivery. 3. Plan Ahead I cannot emphasise this enough – DO NOT BE LATE FOR YOUR INTERVIEW!!! Not only does it look bad, but you’ll arrive to your interview in a panic. So to rule out any mishap on the morning that might cause you to be late, get everything ready the night before. Lay out what you’re wearing, making sure everything is crease and stain free. Have copies of your CV (and portfolio if required) printed and in a folder ready to go. Map out your travel route, know exactly what route/form of transport you’re taking and give yourself a half hour extra in case of traffic disruptions. So what if you arrive early, it’ll give you an opportunity to relax, look over your notes and even to grab a cup of tea if you feel like it. 4. Think Confident – Be Positive Firstly take confidence from the fact you’ve been invited to interview, you wouldn’t be here if they weren’t interested in you. Drown out any self-doubt by reminding yourself of your skills, accomplishments and why you’d be a good fit for the job. It sounds silly but by thinking positively you’ll feel more confident in yourself. This is your opportunity to shine so don’t let self-doubt hold you back. “You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow. This opportunity comes once in a lifetime, yo”
Munich's Tech Scene

Munich's Tech Scene

Munich’s Tech Scene Munich is a very wealthy city boasting the highest purchasing power of any German city. It is home to many of the nation’s largest companies such as Allianz, BMW, Siemens and Munich Re. The region is often overlooked as a start-up hub as only 11% of the nation’s start-ups are located here compared to Berlin’s impressive 30% share. However, Munich’s tech scene has a bright future as the city shifts from an engineering and industrial powerhouse to a software engineering powerhouse. Berlin is trendier and more glamorous than Munich, but Munich is the place to get business done. The interplay between established corporate organisations and innovative start-ups has created a dynamic environment across industries. Munich’s tech and start-up scene is supported by the multitude of wealthy organisations, start-up incubators, accelerators, entrepreneurship programs, as well as the top universities and local coding schools. The city boasts an open innovation culture that networks start-ups with universities and established companies benefitting all stakeholders involved. Tech and the Automobile Industry One in every four German cars is produced in Munich with revenue’s in the automobile industry totalling €110 billion. However, in recent times the city has embarked on a journey to move leverage this highly profitable and well-established industry to diversify into the IT sector. New technologies such as self-driving cars and new start-ups such as car sharing apps are attracting the attention and investment from large multinationals such as BMW and Dailmer. BMW operate and fund their ‘start-up garage’ with Dailmer operating ‘Dailmer Mobility’. The Internet of Things Munich is a haven for the IoT industry. The multitude of high-tech and financial industries coupled with knowledge-intensive services has led to a huge demand for IoT products and services. Huge multinational companies such as IBM have heavily invested in IoT in Munich. In 2015, IBM opened its Watson IoT Global headquarters in the city hiring a team of 1,000 developers, researchers and designers. Media and Finance Munich is home to a large diverse media industry that employs approximately 30,000 people across 8,000+ companies. As a result, there are numerous MarTech and AdTech start-ups successfully receiving funding and investment. Munich is home to several global insurance companies such as Allianz and Munich Re and numerous financial institutions. These organisations have given rise to many FinTech start-ups such as Finanzchef24, Boku, Paymill and many more. The vast majority of these start-ups use PHP, Java and Ruby. Incubators Due to the city’s corporate wealth and plan to establish itself as a software engineering powerhouse, there are numerous incubators offering generous incentives and funding to start-ups. Play, TechFounders and Venture Starts are private incubators in the city. The Bavarian government also has a number of initiatives in place to support local talent such as BayStartUP and GrunderRegio M. Popular Languages According to StackOverflow statistics, Munich is home to approximately 100,000 developers. The most popular back-end languages in Munich are PHP (38%), Java (30%) and Python (14%). On the front end of things, Angular is the most popular framework with 55% of companies using it. React comes in second at 27% with Ember and Backbone coming in around the 9% mark.
Berlin's Start-up Scene

Berlin's Start-up Scene

“Poor but sexy”, the infamous Berlin tagline coined by ex-mayor of Berlin, Klaus Wowereit. The city has come a long way in the past decade transforming its reputation to become the “Silicon Valley” of Europe. Berlin’s start-up scene is growing at an incredible rate showing no signs of slowing down. Berlin solidified itself as the champion of Germany’s start-up scene in 2017. Venture capitalists invested a total of €4.3 billion into German start-ups with 58% of the investment going to start-ups in Berlin. A total of 233 rounds of financing raised €2.67 billion for Berlin start-ups, putting it just behind London and on par with Paris. 8 out of the 10 most desirable start-ups in Germany are located in Berlin with an estimated 30% of the nation’s start-ups setting up in the city. Berlin has clearly established itself as the prime start-up location in Europe. This can be attributed to a number of influencing factors: International Talent Pool Berlin boasts a highly diverse population with approximately 20% of the city’s residents coming from overseas. This multinational, highly educated workforce breeds creativity and innovation. Infrastructure The city operates a very efficient and affordable public transportation network that is fully integrated. It’s quick and easy to get to anywhere in the city or further afield thanks to the city’s expansive train network and two international airports. Office space is reasonably priced compared to other EU cities facilitating the rise of numerous co-working spaces enabling start-ups to get off the ground. Investment Climate Berlin is home to numerous start-up incubators and centres that help turn innovative ideas into reality. Furthermore, venture capital funding has been increasing year on year providing financial support to start-ups throughout the city. Vibrant City Berlin has a special, non-conformist culture that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. The city is steeped in rich history and has since grown to become one of the most unique urban areas in the world. The city’s vast party spectrum has something for everyone from industrial techno temples to up-market cocktail bars and beer gardens. The result, Berlin attracts all walks of life, each bringing their own skills, creativity and resources to the capital. Rent Prices Rent prices in Berlin are much cheaper compared to its EU counterparts such as Paris and London. This lower cost of living has attracted multinationals from around the world to start-up businesses while enticing highly skilled workers to relocate. Success Stories Berlin start-up scene has an impressive track record producing some remarkable “unicorns” in recent years: N26 The German Direct Bank, founded in 2013, has scaled to become a recognised name in the finance game valued at an astounding €2.7 billion as of 2018. Zalando This e-commerce company, founded in 2008, now employs over 15,000 people, operating in 17 countries posting healthy revenues of €5 billion as of 2018. HelloFresh The number one meal-kit company in the world, founded in 2011 went public in 2017 with a sizeable IPO valuation of €2.7 billion. Delivery Hero The online food-delivery service, founded in 2011, now operates in 40+ countries and was valued at €4.5 billion during its IPO in 2017.
Why Job Seekers Should Use Recruiters

Why Job Seekers Should Use Recruiters

In this modern era of hyper-connectivity, with smart devices that are so smart you can be contacted through your wrist watch, is there value in using a third party to help you find a job or are you better off going it alone? Well, with the global market seemingly more turbulent than ever and every company sending out similar soundbites on why they are the best, it’s increasingly hard to know what path to choose as a jobseeker. Jobseekers have never had it better with companies creating novel ways to attract new talent. Whether it’s a mini-golf course on the roof, an onsite masseuse, gym membership or yoga classes, it shows companies are aware of employee turnover and that the job itself isn’t enough to attract and retain talent anymore. However, on the other side of things, a job for life is clearly a thing of the past for most of the labour market, unless you’re a health professional or a teacher. This means more diversity in a person’s career, certainly among millennials, under 25’s and graduates in particular. This also means more disruption in previously stable careers and the need to diversify people’s skills and keep an eye on the market. It’s a dynamic environment in recruitment with marketing and internal recruiters partnering to attract the best staff, so why use a recruiter? Industry Knowledge Most recruiters specialise in one niche of the market and as a result become market experts within their sector and can give you a complete roadmap to the lay of the land. Going it solo will mean that you will have to do your own research about each company you are applying for who will each have their own unique requirements. Your recruiter, however, will be able to provide you with a company background, describe the team structure, the key aspects of the role and what exact experience the hiring manager is looking for. A recruiter will help you decide whether the position is for you and keep you updated as things develop in the market you’re in. Recruitment agencies provide a completely cost-free service to jobseekers. They only charge the companies hiring, so why not have unlimited access to the inner workings of the company you’re applying to and assistance for free? Direct Line To The People In Power Recruiters have a direct line to HR directors and hiring managers. Why not make the most of this? With a direct line to the people in power, you get the inside information on what makes a company, a department or even a specific job so exciting. If you have high goals of progression or want to work on a set type of projects, you won’t find this information through a job advert and may not realise if you have made a mistake until you’re in the job. Another aspect a recruiter can help with is when it comes to negotiating salary, the recruiter will know exactly what can be negotiated and keep things on track. You can focus on performing in the interview and the recruiter can handle all the awkward/difficult conversations. Your Own Personal Advocate Who doesn’t want someone singing their praises? With a recruiter you have your own personal cheerleader getting face time with people in power and telling them in no uncertain terms that you were made for this job and could do it blindfolded like Sandra Bullock in Birdbox. In all seriousness, a recruiter is trained find out your best qualities in relation to the job and make sure you don’t get missed by the hiring company. They can also help with CV re-design and know the best ways to catch the eye of the employer. Also, as mentioned, people are jumping jobs a lot more now which has previously been a serious red flag for employers. However, your recruiter can help explain your motivations and elaborate on your CV in minute detail to get over the initial hurdle of pre-screening. Practice Makes Perfect Interviews are a minefield. Say the wrong thing or react the wrong way and you will be stuck in no man’s land with no way back. Nike have a motto “Think training’s hard? Try losing”. Every day a recruiter prepares people for interviews, so let the experts show you how to ace every interview. They have the practice that can make you perfect! They will already have given you the background to the job, the hiring managers and the company, so the next logical piece of the puzzle is on the interview process. Recruiters will have reams of documentation but will always tailor the preparation for interviews to each person to maximise the value. The difference between you and the next person competing for the job is usually a small margin. That could mean that advice from a recruiter, who has placed plenty of candidates in jobs, could be the reason you succeed in getting the role. The future is bright for job seekers with more opportunities than ever. Partner with a recruiter who knows the industry, the companies hiring and who can help make the jobs market easier to navigate.
6 Common CV Mistakes For Developers

6 Common CV Mistakes For Developers

The software development industry is booming with a wide array of multinational companies actively seeking qualified and skilled developers. However, due to the highly technical and specific nature of these job roles, it can be difficult to find the right candidate for the job. So, what is the best way to help HR professionals and recruiters match you with a vacant position? A well written CV that accurately showcases your skills and expertise. You have the right skills for the job, but does the recruiter or HR professional know you do? Avoid these common pitfalls when crafting your CV. 1. Listing all your work experience Recruiters and HR professionals read countless CVs, having multiple pages of irrelevant content will only work against you. Try not to write an exhaustive list of every project that you have worked on; prioritise it. Only include the projects and work experience that are relevant to the position that you are applying for. Your CV should always be tailored to the role that you are applying for. 2. Not including your ‘tech stack’ in your work experience Your tech skills and knowledge are the most important aspect of your CV. Include a list of all the languages and tools that you used during your employment in each role. If you aren’t sure how to include them while keeping the CV clean and concise, try writing a list at the footer of each role. ‘JavaScript Developer’ – Google January 2018 – January 2019 ‘JAVASCRIPT, HTML5, CSS3, JQUERY, ANGULAR.JS, SASS, LESS, PHP, NODE.JS’. 3. Description of work experience is too complex It’s attractive to describe your work experience in highly technical terms; however, you must remember that IT recruiters may not necessarily have the same in-depth knowledge you do. A generic example would be “Developed XYZ feature in XXX framework with technique A, B, C…”. Over complicating the description of your work experience may only serve to confuse the reader rendering it harder to match your skills with a vacant position. 4. Description of work experience is too general By contrast, it’s also not advised to describe your work experience in ambiguous terms. For example, “Developed a website using AngularJS5”. This statement asks more questions than it answers. Did you develop the website alone, how big is the website, what features does it have etc.? Make sure you accurately describe your part in the project and the scale of it. 5. Only list skills you are technically strong in It’s inviting to showcase all your technical skills to make yourself appear more experienced and educated. However, you should only list skills that you are technically strong in. Include databases, APIs, languages and any other tools you feel you have mastered and frequently use. Embellishing your knowledge of a language or a tool is not recommended, you will get caught out. 6. Poor Formatting and Mistakes Your CV is the critical ‘first impression’ to your prospective employer. A poorly formatted CV guarantees a bad first impression. The golden rule here is to keep your CV clean, concise and easy to read. Avoid using elaborate formatting and colours. Keep it simple. Recruiters and HR professionals are interested in the content of your CV, not the colours. Lastly, proofread your CV ensuring there are no grammatical or spelling errors; they're highly unprofessional.
What to Wear to a Tech Interview

What to Wear to a Tech Interview

As the old saying goes, first impressions count and that is never truer than when it comes to an interview. How you present yourself paints a picture in the prospective employer’s mind of your interest and dedication to landing the position. But does this apply to whne interviewing with a tech company? ‘Silicon Valley’ culture has strongly influenced the IT industry uplifting many long-standing traditions in the world of business. The stereotypical ‘IT guy’ is depicted as a laid-back person wearing jeans and a hoody at best, but is this appropriate when interviewing for a full time position? There are a number of things that must be taken into consideration when gauging what to wear to a interview. First and foremost, it is important to note that tech positions are open in a wide array of industries ranging from a small tech start-up to a global bank. The culture and industry in which the company operates in will dictate what you should wear to the interview. For example, in a bank, formal business attire is expected and worn by nearly all employees. If the employees are wearing suits, you should suit up for your interview. If a suit just isn’t for you, dress smart. A co-ordinated, well fitted smart outfit with dress shoes will suffice. A bank is a very black and white example. The tech scene is a different story, where the lines can oftem become blurred. Most of the top tech firms dress more on the business casual side, making it hard to gauge what is deemed office appropriate. Smaller tech firms can dress very casually, with a suit not being expected or even appropriate. A good trick is to research the company’s culture through a simple Google search, Glassdoor and LinkedIn or even try speak to an employee of the company to get an idea of what is expected. Interviewees are always susceptible to underdressing to match the company culture. It is recommended to always dress professionally, no matter what type of company you are interviewing with. Your appearance signals who you are, your professionalism and your commitment to landing the job. Men should consider wearing trousers or khaki pants with a long sleeve shirt and dress shoes. No jeans or trainers, its simply too casual for the occasion. Women should consider wearing a pencil skirt or trousers with a collared shirt. A work dress is also suitable. Wear whatever you are most comfortable in but err on the side of overdressing. Whatever you decide to wear, ensure the clothes are clean, crease free and the shoes are polished. Good personal hygiene and care is a must. For men, make sure you’re clean shaven or your beard is very neatly trimmed. If you use hair product, go easy with it. For women, keep the make-up light and professional. If you have a lot of jewellery and/or piercings, best to take a minimal approach to both. Make sure your nails are neat and if you are wearing nail polish, make sure it’s not chipped. Last but not least, try not to use overpowering perfume or aftershave - a subtle scent is best. During an interview, there are a lot of variables outside of your control, so why not make the most of the variables you do control. Research has shown that the first few seconds of meeting someone is the most crucial, with the visual impact you make being the most important factor.
How to Make Yourself an Attractive Developer

How to Make Yourself an Attractive Developer

With the advent of mobile and web applications accompanied by the ever-increasing diversification within the world of tech, developers are in high demand. However, developer roles within larger, more glamorous companies such Google, Facebook and Zendesk are hyper-competitive, with highly qualified candidates from around the world applying. For example, Google receives two million job applications a year. You’re going to need a little bit more than some coding expertise to land a job with the tech giants. The age-old question persists; what can you do to stand out from the crowd? 1. Master your Coding Language Coding is the fundamental building block to landing a developer job. If you aren’t a proficient coder, you don’t have a chance. Most ‘proficient’ coders with a few years’ experience know at least one or two dynamic languages very well. Python, PHP, Java, Ruby, C++; it is up to you what languages and how many you decide to gain proficiency in. It is recommended to master at least two languages if you’re seeking to land a job with the tech giants. Learn best practices, design patterns, object orientation. Check parameters in every function, really master your language. 2. It's Not Just About Coding In the modern era, tech companies are looking for more than just coders. Gone are the days of the stereotypical coder locked in his or her room alone for hours simply coding, coding, coding. Firms like Microsoft and Google highly value interpersonal and teamwork skills. Developers are expected to work on cross-functional teams as well as with external clients. Showcasing your personality and demonstrating strong interpersonal skills can really be the deciding factor as to whether or not you’re selected for the job. Behavioural interviews, interviews posing questions designed to get you to open up about yourself, are becoming just as important as technical interviews. Don’t be afraid to show off your personality. 3. Demonstrate Passion The dream employee is a passionate employee. Employees who demonstrate passion for their line of work are motivated and excited to go to work, qualities that are naturally appealing to any employer. How do you demonstrate passion in the developer world? It can be achieved in a variety of ways. On your CV or during an interview, you can direct the prospective employer’s attention towards any side project that you’re working on in your spare time, perhaps located on your GitHub profile (which will be discussed next). You could emphasise any new coding languages you are learning. You could attend a ‘hackathon’ or ‘codefest’. These meetups highlight your love for coding and are great ways to gain exposure. 4. Contribute and Publish Your Code Online As a developer, your strongest asset is your code. Showcasing your ability to write readable and interesting code can grab the attention of a prospective employer. Contribute and publish your code on GitHub (most popular), Bitbucket, or even your own website. This portfolio of code acts as an extension to your CV, representing your technical skillset is an easily discoverable and shareable way. This repository of code is greatly appreciated by employers within the developer sector and is actively sought out.
6 Tips When Writing a Developer CV

6 Tips When Writing a Developer CV

The software development industry is growing year on year, with a plethora of companies actively seeking IT developers. It's an exciting and lucrative time to be involved in technology, but how do you craft an eye-catching CV to land that dream dev job? You have the skills, but you’re having difficulty putting it into words. Don’t hamper your career opportunities because you struggle to convey what you have to offer. Here are a few useful tips to make your CV stand out from the rest. 1. Tailor Your CV to The Position You're Applying For Your CV should always be tailored to the job you are applying for. It’s inviting to have one blanket CV that you can use for all your applications, however it can really serve you to spend the extra time catering your CV to each individual job. A simple way to do this is to emphasise certain skills that are relevant to the job you are applying for. For example, if you are applying for a front-end developer position, you should highly emphasise your HTML, CSS and JavaScript skills. If you are applying for a back-end developer job, you should emphasise the relevant coding languages you are proficient in, such as Python or Ruby. 2. Showcase Your Skills As an IT developer, your tech skills and knowledge are some of the first things employers or HR will look for on your CV. For this reason, it’s imperative that you showcase what makes you such an attractive candidate. It is advised to only include the skills that you are technically strong with. Include languages, APIs, databases and any other tools you feel you have mastered and frequently use. Do not lie or embellish; in the developer world you will be quickly caught out. There is little room to waffle. Furthermore, there is no need to include redundant skills: E.g. If you know HTML5, it’s assumed you know HTML, DHTML and XHTML. 3. Use Action Verbs Whens Writing About Your Experience Your past work experience is the most important part of your CV, so spice it up. Use action words to demonstrate your work experience; “Ensured quality with unit and integration tests and applying TDD” or “Mentored a team of 5 junior developers”. Again, place emphasis on the work experience that is relevant to the position you are applying for. 4. Include A Professional Summary One thing you are trying to accomplish with your CV is accurately expressing your desired career trajectory. An effective method to achieve this is to include a professional summary. This short summary should summarize your professional progression, your desired career path and any notable skills or achievements that you possess. HR professionals and recruiters only take a matter of seconds to decide whether your CV is worth delving deeper into, sp use this summary to grab their attention. 5. Education There’s no need to be too specific here. State the relevant degree(s) you have, along with the institution and graduation dates. Keep it short and simple, easy to ‘skim’ over. Education isn’t the be all and end all in the development world. 6. Proofread and Format Your CV is the all-important ‘first impression’ to your prospective employer. Make sure your CV is easy to read, aesthetically pleasing and free of any spelling and grammar mistakes. If a candidate cannot take care while writing their CV, how much care and effort are they going to put into the role?
Relocating To Berlin - Candidate Story

Relocating To Berlin - Candidate Story

Packing up your life and relocating to a new country seems like a daunting endeavour, yet many face the challenge when an unmissable job opportunity comes their way from overseas. One of our candidate success stories here at Sigmar recently moved to Berlin to work for Marley Spoon. Originally from Brazil, Nathan spent two years working in Dublin before making the leap to Berlin. We asked him a couple of questions to get an insight into how the relocation process was for him and his personal experience of living in Berlin. How did you find the visa process? “The company that hired me provided a relocation partner for handling all the paperwork, so the process was as smooth as it could be. From Dublin, I had to schedule an appointment at the German Embassy. They usually have slots available 1 or 2 months in the future, so waiting was the hardest part”. “When I arrived in Berlin, I had to go to the Foreign Office twice - once to get my proof of residence and then again to get my work permit. My relocation agent accompanied me both times, which helped a lot”. Was it difficult to organise your health insurance? “Health insurance was handled by my company. I didn’t have to worry about it at all." How did you find setting up a bank account? “One of my colleagues recommended that I should set up an online bank account with N26, rather than a traditional bank. It was super simple, and I had a functional German bank account within a few days”. What was the most challenging part of moving to Berlin? “The most challenging part was finding an apartment. I had to live in a temporary apartment for the first two months which was quite expensive. Rent prices were higher than I expected, averaging around €800+ per month”. Would you recommend making the move to Berlin to other internationals? “Definitely! It's a mind opening experience, culturally rich and intense. You have everything you can imagine, and the city is beautiful. It's a place that makes you not want to stay at home on Sundays - this was new to me”. How would you describe moving to Berlin overall? “I felt that I was lucky because the transition was unbelievably easy. I'm having the best work experience I’ve ever had. The environment and the people are really something that have dictated my experience here. I would say that maybe it is the best place to live as an international: the city is very diverse, and I have already met people from about 30 countries in one month. Also, you can get a beer in a pub for just €3.” Overall, it is safe to say that Nathan had a very positive experience relocating to Berlin receiving a lot of help from the company who hired him. Making the move can seem intimidating at the start but, with help from the right people, it can be a life changing decision.
The Most In Demand Coding Languages for 2019

The Most In Demand Coding Languages for 2019

Software development is a highly dynamic field with the demand and popularity of various programming languages fluctuating from year to year. Developers need to be aware of these fluctuations when deciding what languages they want to learn, upskill and master. It is important to note that knowledge of specific languages is a requirement in some fields. For example, aspiring game developers should seek to master C# and C++ to move forward in their career, while those seeking a career in DevOps should master JavaScript. It is important to learn the language that will serve to boost your career prospects in your field of choice. Regardless of the area of development in which you currently work, or want to work, it is beneficial to know what languages are most commonly used, the most in demand and the average pay for each. Research from Indeed.com, the world’s largest job search engine and a survey of 65,000 developers worldwide, conducted by Stack Overflow, has shortlisted six main languages as the most popular. (A quick side note before I detail the list: SQL has been omitted despite its popularity, as it's technically not a programming language, since it lacks looping and other basic functions.) JavaScript JavaScript is the most popular language, with 66.7% of all professional developers using it. JavaScript is the most widely used language on GitHub and is used by 95% of all websites for any dynamic logic on their pages. 73.9% of DevOps engineers and 81.7% of web developers use JavaScript as their preferred language of choice. JavaScript’s dominance as the most popular and widely used language doesn’t appear to be slowing with the popularity of IoT & mobile devices using Angular JS and React driving growth. Indeed.com has 38,000 job postings for JavaScript developers in 2018, with median salaries hovering around the €40 – 45,000 mark. Demand and salaries for rise sharply for developers with experience working with React, Angular, and Node.js. Java Moving to the back-end of things, Java takes the place of the most widely used and popular back-end language. 38.3% of all professional developers use Java with DevOps engineers using it most (41.4%). Java shows no signs of dipping in popularity as it's used by millions of developers and billions of devices worldwide being able to run on any hardware and operating system through the Java Virtual Machine. Java programmers are always in demand, as all Android apps are based on Java and 90% of Fortune 500 companies use Java as a server-side language for backend development. Indeed has 62,000 job postings for Java programmers with the median salary floating around €43,000. Python A rising star in the programming world is Python. The continued growth and demand for machine learning developers appears to be driving the popularity of Python, with 27.6% of all professional developers using it. Indeed has approximately 46,000 job postings offering a median salary of around €46,000. C++ C++, known as quite a complex language compared to the likes of Python and Java, is another language growing in popularity. Heavily used in the game development industry, C++ is used by 20.7% of professional developers being used most by desktop developers (31.3%). Indeed posted 31,000 jobs in 2018 offering a median salary around €45,000. C# Similarly, C# is also heavily used in the game development industry. Designed to run on Microsoft’s .NET platform, 36.7% of professions developers use this language, with desktop developers using it most (59.4%). Indeed posted 27,000 jobs in 2018 with salaries averaging around €43,000.

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