As cybersecurity threats continue to multiple and major breaches hit the headlines on a regular basis, more companies are seeking highly skilled security engineers to make sure their systems are secure against the latest threats. To be a top candidate for these roles, you need to bring certain key skills to the table. Otherwise, you might not catch the attention of the hiring manager.
If you are wondering which skills can help you become a top security engineer, here are a few you absolutely need.
Security Product Expertise
Security engineers interact with a range of tech products while performing their duties. Everything from firewall management to URL filtering to virus protection fall under their purview, so knowing how to use the tools and technologies required to accomplish those goals is essential.
Similarly, security engineers need a firm grasp on what a variety of security products and services should cost. Since many security professionals are tasked with making recommendations when a new solution is required, understanding what is and isn’t a good deal is a valuable area of expertise to bring to the table.
Passion for the Subject
New threats emerge on a daily basis, and skilled security engineers understand the need to remain up to date at all times. Those who have an enthusiasm for their field are often more adept at staying informed, largely because the topic is of genuine interest.
Additionally, passion makes sorting through information regarding the latest security-related technology updates less cumbersome. Those with enthusiasm enjoy digging into the details to learn more about what the patches or new releases have to offer, making them more valuable in the eyes of employers.
Written and Verbal Communication
Security engineers need to be able to relay complex information, both verbally and in writing, to a variety of other professionals and stakeholders. This includes individuals who may not have an IT background, making it a necessity to be able to translate the “tech speak” into simpler language to promote understanding.
Technical Experience
Aside from security products, security engineers also need a firm grasp on a range of other technical topics. This can include various operating systems, coding languages, and network operations. Without these core understandings, it can be more difficult to assess a company’s needs, identify vulnerabilities, guarantee compatibility, and troubleshoot problems.
Time Management and Organization
Without time management and organizational skills, any security engineer would struggle to remain appropriately productive. Many projects are complex in nature, and even daily duties can be highly time-sensitive, making these core competencies must-haves if you want to excel in the field.
By acquiring the skills above, you too can position yourself as a top security engineer, making you a more attractive candidate to potential employers. If you would like to learn more about what makes a successful security engineer or are seeking out a new position in the field, the team at The Armada Group can help. Contact us to speak with a member of our knowledgeable staff today and see how our tech expertise can benefit you.
Highly effective IT teams don’t happen by accident. Instead, they are carefully crafted, bringing together the right mix of skills, experiences, and even personalities to ensure the team can collectively thrive.
But figuring out what such a team should look like isn’t always easy. However, there are certain traits that are common among top-performing IT teams, allowing them to serve as potential indications of the viability of the group’s composition.
If you are wondering what hallmarks are part of highly effective IT teams, here’s what you need to know.
Alignment
For a team to thrive, they need to align in a few key areas, including with the broader mission, the values of their peers, and the priorities of the leadership team. When it occurs, everyone is working toward the same collective goals, keeping everyone on target. Additionally, when every team member believes in the mission, this can boost morale, job satisfaction, and productivity, providing them with intrinsic value as a source of motivation.
Identity
Highly effective IT teams genuinely identify as part of a team. They exhibit self-awareness regarding how their actions impact those around them, giving them an additional source of guidance when they need to make decisions or solve problems. Additionally, they recognize that success is based on the cumulative work of the group, not the accomplishments of the individual. The perspective can increase teamwork and their willingness to help each other when problems arise, enhancing the sense of cohesion.
Leadership
A team can only be effective if they have a strong leader. Without proper guidance, the group will typically not flourish. Often, this involves having a manager who works as a coach and mentor, and not just a person delegating tasks. Further, open communication and transparency are necessities, ensuring everyone has vital information whenever something new comes down the pipe.
Growth
Genuinely stellar teams understand there is always something new to learn. Whether it’s a new approach to managing a project, a unique way to solve a problem, or an emerging technology that can provide value, they are open to exploring it. When it comes to knowledge, effective teams are never stagnant, and they typically aren’t fearful of change if it could potentially lead to better outcomes or increased efficiency.
Support
Strong IT teams feel inherently supported by each other. Typically, this means everyone has a voice and feels like they belong, creating an atmosphere that allows for constructive debates that don’t devolve into morale-crushing arguments.
Ultimately, it involves a sense of inclusion, the understanding that everyone is valued and that what they bring to the table is relevant. Without that, team members may be fearful when it comes to expressing their opinion, and that can stymy the group’s success.
All of the traits above are commonly found in highly effective teams, so forming a team that exhibits these characteristics may increase your project success rates. If you are interested in learning more or are seeking IT professionals to join your staff, the professionals at The Armada Group can help. Contact us to discuss your company’s goals today and see how our services can benefit you.
How Can Having a Business Analyst in Your Corner Strengthen Your IT Team?
Written by Jeff Tavangar
When managers picture crafting a robust IT team, they typically focus on hiring individuals with specific technical skills that are vital for reaching their goals. However, if you neglect to add a skilled business analyst to your staff, your tech projects might not be a successful as they could be.
Business analysts perform a unique function, acting as a link between your IT team and the rest of the organization. Typically, they have experience in both the tech space and in business, giving them a solid understanding of each groups perspective and enabling them to work with tech pros and other business professionals to find solutions and reach compromises.
However, you do need to select the right business analyst to experience these benefits. This includes knowledge of data analytics, change management, and much more. If you want to strengthen your IT team, here’s how to select a business analyst to help you do just that.
Understand the Core Responsibilities
If you want to hire a top business analyst, it is critical that you understand the core responsibilities typically associated with these roles. Overall, they are usually tasked with identifying changes to processes, services, systems, and products that will facilitate positive change, such as increased efficiency and productivity.
They assist with determining project requirements, analyzing existing processes, and crafting recommendations, ensuring that a new solution is both technically viable and filled with features and capabilities that provide the end users with value. Additionally, they help the end users and IT team to communicate effectively, acting as a translator between the two segments of the business.
Critical Skills and Experiences
When you need a highly capable business analyst, it’s important to locate a candidate with the right combination of skills and experience. While every business analyst usually has more experience in either IT or business, it is crucial that they have a solid foundation in both areas. Otherwise, their lack of understanding on one side may hinder the success of the project.
For example, if a business analyst is highly knowledgeable on the business end but doesn’t have experience with the IT specialty involved, they may struggle when it comes to determining technical feasibility. This means their recommendations might not be ideal.
When it comes to hard skills, cost-benefit analysis, analytics, and process modeling should all be priorities. For soft skills, focusing on communication, problem-solving, conflict mediation, and interpersonal skills is often essential.
Additionally, most successful business analysts will have formal education that assists them in their role. This could include either a technical bachelor’s degree, such as computer science or information technology, or a business degree, depending on which area they gave greater focus. In some cases, they may also bring additional certifications to the table, though this may not be a necessity depending on your company’s or project’s goals.
Making the Right Hiring Decision
As you start looking for a business analyst to join your team, it’s vital you identify the technologies involved. Otherwise, it will be difficult to determine if the job seeker has the required level of technical expertise.
Additionally, you want to find a business analyst that meshes with the company’s culture as well as the IT team. This increases the odds they will connect with other professionals in the business, making it easier for them to perform their duties successfully.
If you are looking for the ideal business analyst, the recruitment specialists at The Armada Group can help you find the right candidate. Contact us to discuss your vacancy today and see how our services can benefit you.
What Skills Do You Need to Make 6 Figures as a Mobile App Developer in San Jose?
Written by Jennifer Ireland
Mobile devices have become valuable tools in the business world, allowing employees to accomplish important tasks from nearly anywhere. Now that smartphones are in the pocket of seemingly every person, companies require skilled mobile application developers to ensure that their apps meet the needs of their staff or their customers.
Successful mobile app developers have strong skill sets focused on this specific niche, and they can often command high salaries in exchange for their expertise. If you are wondering what skills you need to land a six-figure job as a mobile app developer in San Jose, here’s what you need to know.
Mobile App Developer Salaries in San Jose
In San Jose, mobile application developers commonly make more than six figures. The average base pay is approximately $136,000 per year, around 32 percent higher than the national average.
Additionally, even salaries on the lower end tend to surpass $100,000. This means, by choosing this tech specialty, earning a lucrative paycheck is certainly a possibility. However, professionals do need a strong skill set if they want to break into the field.
Mobile App Developer Technical Skills
To be a successful mobile app developer, a specific skill set is necessary. First, a thorough understanding of mobile user interface design is essential, as a high-quality UI has a significant impact on the overall experience.
Additionally, cross-platform development skills are often required for higher-paying mobile app developer roles. This ensures the selected candidate can produce apps that work on both Android and iOS, and potentially even Windows phones.
Programming skills are also a must, including languages like Java and C#. Web development languages like CSS and HTML 5 are also highly desirable, along with knowledge of mobile platform APIs.
Job seekers who bring robust backend computing skills to the table are also more likely to find a position that pays more than six figures. Anything from database management to security can fall in this category, representing a range of core competencies that allow the developer to thrive.
In most cases, a four-year degree is a requirement for mobile app developer positions, such as a bachelor’s in computer science or a similar major.
Essential Soft Skills for Mobile App Developers
A range of soft skills is also highly valuable in the mobile application development field. Strong communication and collaboration skills allow for more effective project teams, increasing the speed of development and potentially the quality of the outputs. Organizational skills are similarly valuable.
Since mobile app development can involve artistic design, creativity and a keen eye can help in the creation of attractive UIs. And, as with most tech jobs, problem-solving and troubleshooting skills are usually required.
Ultimately, if you possess the skills listed above, you can potentially earn a six-figure salary as a mobile application developer in San Jose. If you are interested in learning more or are looking for new employment opportunities, the professionals at The Armada Group can help. Contact us to speak with one of our skilled team members today and see how our services can make taking the next step in your IT career easier than ever.
How to Make 6 Figures as a Full Stack Engineer in San Francisco
Written by Crystal McKee
Over recent years, companies have become increasingly interested in securing full-stack engineers for their development positions. These professionals need a wide array of skills, ensuring they can handle both front end and back end development while supporting cross-functionality or multi-platform initiatives.
Full-stack engineers can easily cross into the six-figure salary category in San Francisco. However, a robust skill set is necessary to reach that pay level. If you are hoping to land a six-figure full-stack engineer position, here’s what you need to bring to the table.
Solid Knowledge Base
Full-stack engineers have to have a thorough understanding of a range of concepts and systems to be efficient in their roles. For example, knowledge of hosting systems, such as operating systems and services like DNS, is an essential part of these positions. Similarly, an understanding of the application stack and web applications is also vital.
A full-stack engineer can’t afford to have a substantial hole in their knowledge base, particularly if they want to earn six-figures in their next job. Ultimately, a knowledge gap means they may not be able to handle all of the duties, making their cumulative skill set fall outside of the full-stack arena.
Key Full-Stack Engineer Technical Skills
Working as a full-stack engineer requires a broad skill set that encompasses every development phase. This includes a range of programming languages, such as Python, JavaScript, Ruby, and SQL, as well as frameworks. Additionally, an understanding of networking, cloud services, and UX may also be necessities.
Ultimately, every full-stack engineer position may vary slightly from others, but core skills are commonly requested for all jobs. First, you’ll need front-end skills that allow the website or mobile app to be aesthetically pleasing and intuitive. This includes everything from being able to create code to knowing what layouts, color choices, or even fonts are considered the most attractive and appropriate.
On the back-end, full-stack engineers need the ability to build and maintain servers, applications, and databases. They have to have the skills required to create a functional solution. Precisely which languages, frameworks, or servers that will be involved may differ from one employer to the next, so having a diverse skill set increases your odds of landing a six-figure job.
Essential Soft Skills
Having certain non-technical (or soft) skills is also a must. The ability to communicate effectively with team members is critical to a project’s success, and being able to speak with stakeholders who may not understand the idiosyncrasies associated with the development process is crucial for gathering requirements and sharing what the final product can and cannot do.
Similarly, organization, patience, and attention-to-detail are also essential, especially for large-scale projects that are complex in nature.
Ultimately, by acquiring the right knowledge and skills, it is possible to land a six-figure full-stack engineer position in San Francisco. If you would like to learn more about exciting opportunities in the field, the professionals at The Armada Group can help you explore your options. Contact us to find out more about our current vacancies and see how our services can benefit you.
Ask Yourself These Five Questions Before Saying Yes to a Tech Job
Written by Crystal McKee
When you get a job offer, the excitement can easily overtake you, leading you to say “yes” before you really look at whether the opportunity is right for you. While the new role might be great for you, it’s also possible it isn’t, so taking the time to make sure is a smart move.
If you are trying to determine if a tech job is right for you, here are five questions to ask yourself before you accept.
-
Is Now the Right Time to Make a Switch?
As the saying goes, timing is everything. While you may be dying to leave your position, how your exit impacts your current employer is a point worth examining.
Will you be heading out in the middle of a big project? Is your involvement in the project critical for its success? Can you give sufficient notice?
Everyone’s situation is different, but it’s wise to consider how your quitting will affect your current employer. After all, if you leave them in a bind, they may not be willing to give you positive employment references in the future.
Additionally, you want to reflect on whether your personal life can support a change. If you need to relocate, how will that impact you and your family? If the new job comes with longer hours, can you still maintain an appropriate work-life balance while meeting all of your obligations? Will your spouse or partner need to take on more to accommodate the shift or will the decision impact their career (which can occur if you need to relocate)?
Make sure to review the points above before you say “yes,” especially if other people will be accompanying you on the journey.
-
Are You Excited About the Opportunity?
Sometimes, you apply for a job that seems amazing on the surface, only to later discover you aren’t really excited about the opportunity. Maybe something came up during the interview that changed your perspective, or you found details about the company that gives you pause.
Regardless of the reason, if you aren’t enthusiastic about the new role, then it might be better to say “no” and continue looking for something that’s a better fit.
-
Is the Culture a Match?
Every company has a culture. If you feel comfortable in the environment, then you are more likely to excel. However, if it doesn’t seem like a good match, you might want to decline the offer.
Being the odd person out or trying to force yourself to fit into a culture that doesn’t jive with your personality can be harmful to your well-being and may impact the quality of your work. If the culture doesn’t align with your values and preferences, then looking for an opportunity that does is usually a smarter choice.
-
Will You Receive Better Compensation?
While pay, benefits, and perks aren’t everything, they are always something. You need to consider whether you come out financially ahead by taking the job or are at least able to maintain the status quo.
Examine the entire compensation package, including the value and expenses associated with your benefits, to see if you are making positive strides. You also want to look at the shift in your costs, such as whether a change in your commute helps you save money or if it will lead to higher expenses.
If the math doesn’t work in your favor, then carefully consider whether making the change is a wise decision.
-
Will This Job Help My Career?
Sometimes, even if you will take a financial hit by accepting a job, it’s worth it because you can use the experience to move your career in a better direction. However, even if you are getting a substantial raise, it’s always smart to consider whether taking the position will help or hurt your chances when it comes to making progress in your field.
Ideally, you want your new job to lead to additional opportunities after you gain experience with your new employer. If that isn’t likely to happen and you’re not looking for your last role before retirement, then you might want to continue with your search.
Ultimately, it’s always wise to carefully consider whether saying “yes” is the right decision. If it isn’t, then don’t hesitate to turn the job down. You can always continue your search and, by doing so, give yourself the chance to find an opportunity that is genuinely a good fit.
If you are interested in learning more or are seeking out a new position, the professionals at The Armada Group can help. Contact us to discuss your career goals with one of our knowledgeable team members today and see how our services can make finding your ideal role easier than ever.
More...
Bias in the workplace, whether conscious or unconscious, can be incredibly damaging. Many members of the Baby Boomer and Gen X generations fear that ageism, or discrimination based on their age, will harm their careers.
According to a recent survey, approximately 68 percent of Baby Boomers felt they had been discouraged from applying for jobs based on their age. Nearly 29 percent of all respondents stated they had witnessed or experienced ageism in the workplace.
If ageism makes it way into your tech department, not only are employees affected but the business as well. An environment that appears to hinder older staff members will miss out on excellent, skilled, and experienced workers. This occurs when current employees choose to leave as well as if the company’s reputation is impacted, leading top talent to bypass opportunities with the organization entirely.
Combatting ageism in your tech department doesn’t have to be difficult, but it does require some due diligence. If you aren’t sure where to begin, here are some tips for getting started.
Set Strong Policy Standards
Your internal employee policies can play a big role in fighting ageism in the workplace. Make sure that your organization crafts clear standards regarding discrimination, including any repercussions for participating in discriminatory activities.
Once set, you also need to follow through with enforcement at every level in the organization. If you don’t uphold the standards you create, many will assume they are optional, allowing ageism to proliferate in your organization.
Focus on Equality
One of the most significant steps you can take to avoid ageism in the workplace is to focus on treating all employees equally. This includes everything from the hiring decisions made in the department to the offering of training opportunities and raises.
Discarding strong candidates because of their age is illegal. People who are 40 and older are covered by the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and being caught in violation of these requirements come with strict penalties. Make sure managers are suitably trained on EEOC standards and emphasize that age should not be a factor in hiring decisions.
When it comes to your current employees, work to ensure that professional development and training opportunities are provided to any worker with the proper prerequisite skills, regardless of their age. Additionally, make sure that a person’s age does not factor into their feedback or performance reviews, particularly by punishing older workers harder for mistakes.
Review Your Vacancy Announcements
Before you post a vacancy announcement, review the language to make sure that it doesn’t discourage older workers from applying. Work to make your job ads inclusive by selecting language and descriptions that do not suggest an age preference.
Additionally, avoid using filters that target the ad to younger professionals, as this can be viewed as discriminatory. If you do want to use filters, make sure they relate to topics like the required skills or potentially the physical location of the workplace. Alternatively, you can avoid placing filters on the ad entirely, ensuring you aren’t unintentionally discriminatory during your search for a great candidate.
If you are interested in learning more about combatting ageism in your tech department, the professionals at The Armada Group can help. Contact us to discuss your company’s goals today and see how our expertise can benefit you.
What Resources Can Infrastructure Engineers Use to Enhance Their Careers?
Written by Jennifer Ireland
When it comes to advancing down any career path, knowledge is power. Having the right information empowers you to make smarter decisions and makes it easier to consider the big picture, something that is typically a must for infrastructure engineers.
However, finding reliable and helpful information isn’t always easy, especially with the sheer volume of potential resources that exist today. Whether you are a newly minted infrastructure engineer or are a seasoned professional looking to enhance their career, here are some resources that can help you during your journey.
Online Resources
One of the most accessible options when you want information that can assist you as an infrastructure engineer is the web. There are numerous online publications that have sections dedicated to topics that pertain to your area of specialty and can help you discover emerging trends and process that can increase your level of knowledge and efficiency.
BizTech Magazine is a popular site for those interested in information technology. The resource has subcategories that are particularly beneficial to infrastructure engineers.
The Cisco Small Business Blog is another web destination that covers a variety of IT topics. While the content caters to small businesses, infrastructure engineers at any size company may benefit from the information.
DoubleCloud covers details about cloud-based infrastructure as well as many other cloud-oriented topics. Since many businesses have or will soon embrace the cloud as a means of improving business operations, learning about this subsection of the larger infrastructure world is a smart move for those looking to craft strong careers.
Books
Books have been a popular resource for hundreds and hundreds of years. The benefit of choosing a book, particularly if you purchase a physical or digital copy, is you can reference the material repeatedly and even take notes along the way.
Written by Al Kuebler, Technical Impact: Making Your Technology Effective and Keeping It That Way, is a great book for anyone working in the larger IT field. The book covers tips on how to use technology effectively and also includes guidance on how to communicate the benefits of tech to less tech-savvy stakeholders.
Even though infrastructure engineering doesn’t fall into the Big Data category, Big Data: A Revolution That Will Transform How We Live, Work and Think is still a valuable read. Ultimately, Big Data changed the IT world, creating new requirements that do impact infrastructure decisions and designs. This means that infrastructure engineers can benefit from learning more about the field.
Ultimately, all of the resources above can be incredibly helpful to infrastructure engineers looking to take the next step in their career, no matter where they are standing on the ladder today. If you are interested in learning more or are seeking out new infrastructure engineering job opportunities, the experienced professionals at The Armada Group can help. Contact us to discuss your career goals today and see how our services can benefit you.
How React Is Changing Front-End Development as We Know It
Written by Crystal McKee
React is making waves in the front-end development community. It rose to popularity quickly and has been embraced by professionals of all skill levels. Due to its nature, React is even changing the front-end development field, creating new options and approaches that many developers favor over legacy alternatives.
If you are wondering how React is impacting the world of front-end development, here’s what you need to know.
Libraries Over Frameworks
Technically, React is a JavaScript library, not a framework. This means it does not apply certain constraints on front-end developers and will not make automatic assumptions about other portions of the full solution. It concentrates on a specific area, allowing it to be well-managed without the same level of entanglements.
Virtual Browsers
One benefit of using React is the option to work in a virtual browser, instead of a real one. This can create a friendlier experience, allowing the virtual browser to assist the developer by acting as an agent between the professional and the actual browser.
Ultimately, the approach can be incredibly beneficial, avoiding some of the trapping and tribulations associated with traditional front-end development.
Declarative Approach
When using React to develop user interfaces, a developer describes their desired result, but does not necessarily have to provide full instruction on how to accomplish the task. React does that segment of the build, creating user interfaces on behalf of the developer, based on the description.
The approach reduces the need to manually build the interface, which can be both a significant time saver and frustration reducer. All the developer has to do is tell React what it wants and the system figures out the how automatically.
“Reactive” Nature
React has the ability to alter an output, such as a user interface, whenever the input changes. Typically, input arrives through the components, or simple functions as they are referred to in many other programming languages.
Components in React can, unlike functions, hold data that may change over time. Additionally, the output can adjust to the changing input. Since React is declarative, it will render a new interface based on the updated data automatically.
Ultimately, React is an incredibly powerful tool, making it a wise addition to any front-end developers arsenal. Many companies are also getting behind React, increasing demand for professionals who are capable of working with the language.
By acquiring React experience and skills, you can increase your odds of landing a coveted role with a forward-thinking company. If you are currently seeking out new opportunities or are looking to take the next step in your developer career, the skilled professionals at The Armada Group can connect you with some of the area’s most coveted employers and exciting opportunities. Contact us to speak with one of our recruitment specialists today and see how our services can help you advance your developer career.
The 7 Skills Senior Linux Systems Administrators Must Have
Written by Crystal McKee
Whether you are looking to get promoted or are seeking a new senior Linux systems administrator job, certain skills should be viewed as must-haves. Without them, you’d likely struggle in the role, or may not be selected for the position in the first place.
By improving on the skill areas below, you can showcase why you would make an excellent senior Linux systems administrator. To help you get started, here are seven skills you must have.
-
Experience on Multiple Platforms
At the senior level, familiarity on multiple platforms is a must. Plus, it’s helpful to have a minimum of four years experience with the current platform, establishing your expertise in that specific system and guaranteeing you can hit the ground running.
-
System Configuration Management Knowledge
Another expectation on senior Linux systems administrators is a strong knowledge base regarding system configuration management. Additionally, understanding how configuration can play into larger strategic organizational goals should also be viewed as essential.
-
Strong Problem-Solving Skills
In the vast majority of situations, the ability to identify and solve problems quickly is a significant part of the senior Linux system administrator’s role. This requires a strong fundamental understanding of the systems involved, as well as techniques for troubleshooting and error identification.
-
Process Establishment and Automation
Senior-level professionals are often tasked with reviewing current processes to find potential areas for improvement and establishing new approaches to increase efficiency and effectiveness. Further, the ability to automate tracking is incredibly beneficial, particularly as the business world continues to embrace automation as a means of increasing productivity.
-
Security Modifications
Security standards are ever-evolving, and a senior Linux systems administrator needs to be able to modify current systems to meet the demands of today and, potentially, tomorrow as well. Vulnerability detection can also be a necessity in the eyes of certain companies, giving the organization the ability to intervene before a threat can exploit the vulnerability.
-
Giving Presentations
Typically, high-level professionals need to strong communication skills, allowing them to craft and lead presentations with a variety of stakeholders, vendors, and customers as well as to peers involved in the process. Effectively, a senior Linux systems administrator is a liaison, taking complex technical ideas and ensuring the information is accessible to the target audience, including those who aren’t necessarily as tech-savvy.
-
Written Communications
The creation of reports, proposals, and numerous kinds of papers is a common task for senior Linux systems administrators. This makes a strong command of the English language, particularly in writing, vital if you want to be a success at this level.
If you are seeking a new senior Linux systems administrator opportunity, the professionals at The Armada Group can connect you to exciting positions throughout the area. Contact us to speak with one of our knowledgeable team members and see how our expertise can help you take the next step in your career today.