What is culture fit?

The phrase culture fit is widely used in the workplace, especially during the hiring process. It describes a person’s opinions, principles, and actions coincide with those of a certain business or organisation. For good reason, hiring managers frequently give priority to culture fit when choosing candidates. Culture fit can significantly affect a company's overall success.

Employee Engagement

Staff who are happy and feel valued in their environment are most likely to be 12% more productive. A positive cultural fit may improve work satisfaction and employee engagement. An employee is more likely to be inspired to work hard and make a positive contribution to the firm if they feel at home and like they belong there. On the other hand, if an employee feels alienated from or estranged from the corporate culture, they can stop caring and become less effective. In the end, this can hurt the business's bottom line.

Performance and Productivity

Better cooperation and teamwork can result from a strong cultural fit, which can also increase engagement and job satisfaction. Employees are more likely to work well together and communicate clearly when they hold similar values and views. This may lead to more creative and high-quality work.

On the other hand, if an employee does not fit in with the company culture, it can create tension and conflict within the team. This can lead to a breakdown in communication and a decrease in productivity.

Saff Retention

Retention of employees and corporate culture fit are connected since the latter has a significant influence on the former. Employees are more inclined to work for a firm long-term when they sense a connection to its culture and values. This is due to the fact that they have a feeling of community and purpose within the company, and their job seems more purposeful and rewarding.

It is important for companies to ensure that their culture aligns with the values and beliefs of their employees to foster a positive and productive work environment that encourages staff retention.

Brand Image

Ultimately, a solid cultural fit may support and uphold a company's excellent brand image. Employees are more likely to portray the firm favourably to clients and other stakeholders when they live up to the organisation's values and principles. This can enhance customer loyalty and help the business develop a solid reputation.

Employment loyalty

Employment loyalty refers to the degree of commitment and dedication an employee has towards their employer. The relationship between employment loyalty and an employee's tenure with a company is often closely linked. Employees who feel a sense of loyalty towards their employer are more likely to stay with the company for a longer period of time, as they are invested in the success of the organization. Additionally, loyal employees tend to be more engaged and motivated, which can lead to higher levels of productivity and job satisfaction

With a user base of over 850 million individuals from 200 different countries and regions, LinkedIn has become a vital platform for professionals worldwide. Approximately 52 million users, equivalent to twice the population of Texas, use the application for job hunting, making it an essential tool for job seekers.

As a result, schools and universities are encouraging students to create a LinkedIn account and utilize it for networking and job searches upon graduation. With the application's continuous growth, LinkedIn is consistently adding new features and updates to improve the user experience.

The app has been around for over 20 years, longer than Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, so after all this time, why is LinkedIn still so important?

Networking

LinkedIn is a crucial tool for networking in today's professional world. It is a social networking platform that is designed specifically for professionals, making it an excellent resource for individuals looking to connect with others in their industry. LinkedIn allows users to create a profile that showcases their skills, experiences, and achievements, which can be viewed by potential employers or colleagues.

This platform also provides users with the ability to join groups and participate in discussions, which can help them build relationships with other professionals in their field. By networking on LinkedIn, individuals can expand their professional connections and gain access to new opportunities, making it an essential tool for career development and advancement.

Job Board

The Social Shepard reports that every second, 101 job seekers submit an application on LinkedIn, resulting in over eight million job applications per day. While LinkedIn is popular for networking, many recruiters and companies also use the platform to post job openings and seek potential talent.

Job searches on LinkedIn can be conducted using filters and keywords, and applying for a job is made easy with the "LinkedIn CV," which is generated using the profile data. While uploading a PDF CV is recommended, using the LinkedIn CV is a time-efficient alternative that can direct hiring managers to the user's profile.

For those actively seeking employment, LinkedIn offers an "Open for Work" feature, allowing them to signal their availability to recruiters and potential employers. This feature is hidden from current employers if the user is connected with co-workers and supervisors on the platform.

Building a Personal Brand

Personal branding on LinkedIn is crucial for users who want to establish a professional identity, build a network, showcase their skills and accomplishments, and increase their visibility. As a professional networking platform, LinkedIn offers a unique opportunity to create a strong personal brand that reflects your skills, experience, and career goals. By doing so, individuals can stand out to potential employers, clients, and colleagues.

A strong personal brand also helps individuals to attract like-minded professionals who can support them in achieving their career goals. Through highlighting their achievements, sharing their expertise, and demonstrating their value, individuals can use LinkedIn to showcase their skills and accomplishments to potential employers and clients.

A strong personal brand on LinkedIn can help users to increase their visibility by creating engaging content, interacting with other professionals, and actively participating in discussions and groups. Overall, personal branding on LinkedIn is an essential aspect of professional development and can help individuals reach their career objectives.

LinkedIn Learning

On LinkedIn, you can access LinkedIn Learning, this is a feature that provides a wide range of courses and tests to helps with your career and learning development. With more than 16,000 creditable courses available they can help you highlight the skills you have listed on your profile, setting you apart in a highly competitive job market.

Although this feature on LinkedIn is not free, it offers significant advantages for those who seek to differentiate themselves, such as self-taught professionals who want to validate their skills or individuals who wish to expand their knowledge base.

Appearing on Google

Being discover able on Google offers numerous benefits for individuals and businesses alike, and thanks to LinkedIn, you can be found in Google search! First and foremost, it allows you to establish a strong online presence and increase your visibility to potential customers or clients.

By ranking highly on search engine results pages, you can attract more website traffic, generate more leads, and ultimately increase sales or revenue. Additionally, being discover able on Google can help you build credibility and establish trust with your audience.

When people see that you are easily found on the world's largest search engine, they are more likely to perceive you as a reputable and trustworthy source. This can lead to increased brand awareness, customer loyalty, and repeat business. However, although there are obvious benefits from having a LinkedIn account and being discover able on Google, it is not essential!

Did you know 71% of women that are/have worked within a Tech company have said there has been a ‘Bro Culture’?

But what even is Bro Culture?

The subculture known as "bro culture" encourages discrimination and segregation. We see that this culture is more pervasive in fields where men predominate, such as the technology sector.

“Bro culture” encourages solitude and exclusivity. It's like an exclusive men's club at work that supports the competitive guy who puts winning above all else.

“Bro culture” creates a toxic workplace environment that alienates women and other marginalised groups and can also contribute to a lack of diversity in hiring and promotion practices.

How do we combat this?

• Companies should create a policy of complete intolerance for harassment and discrimination. Clear rules and processes should be in place at businesses to deal with instances of discrimination and harassment. There should be a method in place for reporting problems, and these regulations should be explained to all staff.
• Promote an inclusive culture. Businesses should make an effort to foster an inclusive and diverse culture. This can be accomplished through instruction, team-building exercises, and other programmes that encourage respect for all viewpoints and life experiences.
• Promote responsibility. Workers should be held responsible for their activities if they exhibit behaviours that support the "Bro" culture. Disciplinary action, including termination in extreme circumstances, may be involved.
• Promote open communication. Businesses should promote open dialogue among staff members, especially by setting up forums for suggestions and ideas. Employees will be able to voice issues and suggest ways to enhance the workplace culture thanks to this.
• Provide training on unconscious bias. Many workers might not be conscious of their prejudices or how their behaviours affect other people. Unconscious bias training can assist increase awareness and encourage more inclusive behaviour.

What is the positive impact of reducing Bro culture?

• Improved diversity: Businesses may draw a more varied pool of job applicants by fostering a more inclusive workplace culture. Wider views, ideas, and methodologies may result from this, which can boost originality and creativity.
• Improved employee engagement: Employees are more likely to be engaged and productive when they feel valued and respected by their employers.
• Enhanced brand reputation: Organisations that are renowned for supporting a great workplace culture are more likely to recruit top personnel and have a good reputation with stakeholders and clients.
• Better decisions: Decision-making may be completer and more well-rounded when several views are taken into account.
• Profitability: Research has found that businesses with a more diversified staff typically have higher profits.

71% of Women who answered a recent survey has felt “Bro Culture” in some way or another to combat this we ALL need to come together to make sure accountability is taken reduce this problem in the workplace. After all it benefits EVERYONE!

The Oselo Podcast is finally here! 

A very insightful conversation between Ann Stanley (CEO) and Sophie Cook about the building of Anicca Digital, the everyday struggles of being a business owner & most importantly the positives and successes they have had.

A massive thank you to Ann & the Anicca Digital team for welcoming us into their offices!

You can now Watch & Listen to the first episode of The Oselo Podcast on Spotify & YouTube! 

By Juan Cruz Martinez

Must-have Chrome extensions that will make your life easier as a web developer.

https://livecodestream.dev/post/chrome-extensions-every-web-developer-must-have/

As developers, we use our browsers every day for all sorts of things, from googling, finding solutions to our problems on stack overflow to wasting time on Reddit (yes, I’m one of those), but also to test run the applications we are developing. It’s here where it’s crucial to have the right tools for the right job.

Around a year ago, I wrote this same post, and I collected a lot of feedback. I have since then tried many other extensions, some of which readers recommended, and I loved them.

Today I’ll be sharing with new my latest and greatest list of chrome extensions for developers.

Axe DevTools - Web Accessibility Testing

Accessibility should be one of the topmost priorities for any web developer. While we do have Chrome’s built-in Lighthouse has various parameters to test on a website, if you are someone who deeply cares for a11y issues in your project, Axe Dev Tools is helpful.

This is a fast, lightweight, and powerful testing tool that uses axe-core accessibility engine developed by Deque.

Features:

• Comes with Intelligent Guided Testing: you can do more advanced testing using a simple QnA format. It uses machine learning in the background to quickly identify and fix the issues.
• Component-level testing: if you want to test a specific part of a web page element, this helps.
• Export, Save and Share: you can easily share the test results with your team.
• What’s left to test?: this is a different test report that comes in handy for manual testing.

Download link: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/axe-devtools-web-accessib/lhdoppojpmngadmnindnejefpokejbdd

Eye Dropper

This is an open-source extension that is useful if, as a frontend developer, you quickly want to know what color or hex code some other website uses in one of their elements.

Not only from a webpage, but it can also pick colors from a color picker for more granular control.

Features:

• Pick a color from a web page: it automatically copies its hex code in your clipboard when you pick a color.
• Pick a color from the color picker: with its integrated color picker, you can manually find the color you need along with different color values.
• Pick a color from history: each color picked will be stored like a color palette so that when you come back later, you have all the colors at your fingertips.
• Open source: all the code it made open-sourced on its Github repository.

Download link: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/eye-dropper/hmdcmlfkchdmnmnmheododdhjedfccka

Grepper

Grepper is an essential extension for developers as it combines the power of the Stackoverflow community and Google in one place. As you can see, we searched for the term “linked list in python” in Google and what Grepper does is that it sources the solutions given by its community members right on the search results page!

Features:

• Easily snag and access code answers: you get answers to the common coding problems right on the Google search!
• Save code answers: if you like to revisit a solution you like, you can always save it.
• Contribute to the community: if you know an answer to a search query, you can easily add your code as a contribution.
• Upvote/downvote: in some cases, you will see multiple answers for a question you searched. In that case, if you think that one of the answers is better and the other is wrong, then you can do the upvote/downvote accordingly.

Download link: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/grepper/amaaokahonnfjjemodnpmeenfpnnbkco

Daily.dev

Daily.dev is a Chrome extension that comes with a feed with all the latest and greatest in the tech and dev world. The feed is personalized as per your liking, and devs from around the world save an ample amount of time with this.

You don’t have to hop from one news/blog location to another, and over 100K developers use it from around the world!

BTW, did you know that our publication makes their list, and some of our articles got featured?

Features:

• Hand-picked sources: do you have a preference for a certain website you like? Pick it from a pool of 400+ sources and get content from those only!
• Tags: all the hottest topics in the development world are grouped by tags so if you like to know about #cloud, #aws, and #frontend only, then your feed will be personalized with that.
• Never miss a trend: you get brand-new content as soon as it is published over a website. Daily.dev fetches that and shows you upfront so that you are updated on the latest!
• Community: this is what differentiates daily.dev from its competition. There is a whole community of learners, developers, and others where you can comment on someone else’s article, share it on socials or even bookmark your favorite ones.

Download link: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/dailydev-the-homepage-dev/jlmpjdjjbgclbocgajdjefcidcncaied

OctoLinker

If you ever wanted to go back and forth between the multiple lines of files imported from one file/folder to another and find it frustrating then OctoLinker comes to the rescue.

OctoLinker is a browser extension for GitHub, that turns language-specific statements like include, require or import into links.

So whenever you open a file where there are multiple import statements and you quickly want to open it, then simply hover over the linked file and click to open. It’s quite similar to how things work in VSCode!

Features:

• Relative files: it uses GitHub API to fetch a tree structure of the linked files repository.
• API Docs: it links to API docs of popular tools like NodeJS, Python, Oracle, or Ruby!
• Dependency Discovery: the dependencies defined in files like package.json can easily be tracked down with their source code.
• Pull Requests: inside the code review, OctoLinker links dependencies and files on a Pull Request.

Download link: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/octolinker/jlmafbaeoofdegohdhinkhilhclaklkp

Octotree

Another handy VSCode-like Github extension is Octotree. This literally builds up the tree of the entire project structure of a Github repository.

Whenever you navigate to a repo, it shows up as a sidebar that you can open to view the entire content or files inside the repo without even navigating to different folders. Not only this, but it can also work on your private repos, just give it the token and you are good to go!

Features:

• Code review: you can easily jump among files and comments in any pull request or commit.
• Multiple themes: Octotree doesn’t stop on just a regular dark and light theme. It comes with around 20+ themes along with icons themes, code font selection, etc.
• Multiple tabs: just double-click on the sidebar to open a new file on a new tab. So now you can have multiple tabs of files open inside a Github repo!
• Tree-based search: you can search for deeply nested files and bookmark any of them to visit later.

Download link: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/octotree-github-code-tree/bkhaagjahfmjljalopjnoealnfndnagc

React Developer Tools

You may already have heard about it if you are actively working on a React-based project. When it comes to debugging something, nothing comes close to this extension.

It allows you to inspect the React component hierarchies right inside the Chrome Developer Tools. By default, when you open the dev tools, this extension comes with two tabs: “⚛️ Components" and “⚛️ Profiler”.

Features:

• Components tab: it shows you all of the React components that were rendered on the page. With this, you can also see their sub-components along with their properties and values passed to each prop.
• Debugging the components: when you select one of the tree components, you can directly inspect and edit the props it may have. You can debug the component, its parent, its children and so on.
• Profiler tab: this is a separate tab dedicated to measure the performance of a React app. Here you can record, edit and see in a graph-like format of a React feature.
• Open-source: all of its code lives in the Github repo.

Download link: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/react-developer-tools/fmkadmapgofadopljbjfkapdkoienihi

Refined GitHub 

This is like an all-in-one tool to extend the capabilities of GitHub. It does two things; simplifies the overall GitHub interface and then adds useful features on top of it.

Features:

• Makes whitespace characters visible: all the whitespace characters used are now visible when you open a specific file.
• Merge conflict fixing: if you are someone who always struggles to keep track of what all needs to be changed when there is a merge conflict then this will add a series of arrows to accept the changes.
• Adds avatars to reactions: all those who added any emoji reactions to a GitHub comment will now get their avatar.
• Option to wait for checks: when working on a Pull Request (PR), it adds an option to wait for checks before confirming the PR.
• Reverting changes: if you added something wrong in a PR by mistake, you no longer need to open your Terminal and write commands to revert it, Refined GitHub adds a simple option to revert the changes easily.

Download link: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/refined-github/hlepfoohegkhhmjieoechaddaejaokhf

SVG Gobbler 

Ever thought of getting those icons, images, or other assets like illustrations used on your favorite website? What if there was a simple tool where we could easily extract all of them at once?

Well, the SVG Gobbler extension lets you do all of this with ease. You can download, optimize, and transform the code of icons, logos, and vector SVGs.

Features:

• Optimize SVG content: using SVGO it can optimize the SVG you select from websites or uploaded content.
• Transform to React code: it can quickly convert the SVG into a React component code.
• Export options: you can export all the SVGs and PNGs as multiple sizes.
• Quick design tool integration: when you select your favorite SVG element, you can simply copy it and paste it as a vector inside any of your favorite design tools like Figma, Sketch or Framer.

Download link: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/svg-gobbler/mpbmflcodadhgafbbakjeahpandgcbch

Vue.js Devtools

his is the Vue counterpart of the React dev tools. If you are into the Vue ecosystem, then you need to use the Vue.js devtools extensions right now.

This lets you inspect your Vue app for better debugging and understanding of how your app is working.

Features:

• Standalone app: the dev tool isn’t just available as a Chrome extension but you can also download a standalone app by running npm install -g @vue/devtools and then firing it up as vue-devtools.
• Components tab: this tab shows you all the component instances running on the current page.
• Vuex tab: here you can inspect how the overall app state is managed through Vuex.
• Events and Refresh tab: all the events emitted in your Vue app will be available in a separate Events tab while if you simply need to reload the dev tool then the Refresh tab helps.

Download link: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/vuejs-devtools/nhdogjmejiglipccpnnnanhbledajbpd

Conclusion 

Extensions can make our lives easier, as is the case with the ones I listed today. If you know any other tools that can help developers boost their productivity, please leave a comment to incorporate them in the article. Thanks for reading!

Although it is not mandatory to be part of a pension scheme, it is highly advised. Most of the time, the company you work for have their own pension scheme, but there a still some companies where it is something you must manage yourself.

What is a pension?

When a person reaches a specific age, a pension is a retirement savings plan that provide a set income stream. It is one of the safest and most reliable types of savings and is crucial to a thorough retirement strategy.

Why are they important?

When you retire, you will have a reduction in income. For people who do not have the privilege of being able to put away X amount of their salary, a pension scheme automatically does this for them, as well as your employer contributing money into it too. It will be beneficial in later life when you choose to retire. Often, state pensions are minimal and are constantly fluctuating.

If you are fortunate to have a well-paying job, it is beneficial to have a private pension as with the government-funded one, you are only allowed to put a certain amount in and take a certain out at a time. Having a private pension allows you to control the amount you put in at once. You can take out 25% of your pension out of your government pot before being taxed, for private pensions, you will need to read the terms and conditions.

A good option, if you can afford it, is to have your own savings pot away from your pension as you will not be taxed on this and can put away and use as much as you want when you want.

All investment is a risk, there are pros and cons to everything. Some pros include:

1.  Guaranteed Income Stream: Regardless of market circumstances or other economic considerations, a pension offers retirees a guaranteed income stream. Knowing that you will have a stable income to support you in your senior years gives you comfort and security.
2.  Employer Contributions: A lot of pension plans are sponsored by employers, who also pay a percentage of the employee's salary as a contribution to the pension plan. This can assist to guarantee that a person has enough money to sustain themselves in their later years by dramatically increasing the amount of money they have saved for retirement.
3. Tax benefits: Since pension payments are frequently tax deductible, people can increase their retirement savings by using their pre-tax income. A pension plan's investment profits are also tax-deferred, which means that taxes won't be due until the money is withdrawn. 
4. Professional Management: Pension plans are often managed by professional investment managers, who have the expertise and experience to maximize returns and minimize risk. This can provide individuals with peace of mind and can help to ensure that their retirement savings are well-managed.
5. Estate Planning: A pension can provide people another option for arranging their estates. An individual might leave their pension benefits to their loved ones in the case of their passing by naming a beneficiary.

While pensions can offer many benefits, they also have some disadvantages that are worth considering:

1. Lack of Control: With a pension, people have little power over the investing choices that are made on their behalf. They cannot change the mix of investments or the locations which their money is kept, that might restrict their ability to reach their retirement plans. 
2. Limited Portability: Because pensions are frequently linked to a single workplace, moving employment or transferring them to a new company may be challenging. As a result, if they move jobs or quit their employer, they may lose part of the benefits they have accrued.
3. Risk of inflation: Over time, the fixed income given by a pension may not keep pace with inflation, which might reduce seniors' ability to make purchases. Due to the difficulty in forecasting future inflation rates, this is especially worrisome for people who intend to retire in the far future.
4. Risk of insolvency: In some situations, pensions may not have enough money set aside for them, or the employer may go bankrupt. If this happens, people may lose part or all of their benefits.

A pension can help to guarantee that individuals have the funds they need to support themselves in their later years given to its guaranteed income stream, employer contributions, tax advantages, expert administration, and estate planning advantages. It is never too late to begin planning for your financial future and to take advantage of pension benefits, despite of whether you are just beginning your work or are getting near to retirement.

Hello,

I’m a Project Staffing Lead here at Oselo, I specialise in providing Cloud Development teams with some of the most challenging projects across Europe.

My goal is to ensure all clients are provided with a consultative service where I’m able to supply them with some of the most recognised contractors across Europe in a space of 24-48 hours.

It’s crucial for me to form strong relationships with the top cloud contractors in Europe and maintain the exceptional service I have provided to all clients we support in Europe.

I am currently working with an excellent team of consultants who allocate their time accordingly to ensure we meet every requirement and expectation!

Working with the right external recruiter can often be advantageous when searching for a new role and can even increase the chances of finding your perfect new position.

In this article we explore and summarize the key benefits to working with a reputable recruiter.

What is an External Recruiter?

An external recruiter is a specialist recruitment consultant who works in collaboration with a portfolio of companies with the aim of matching them to the best talent on the market. Recruiters often have different specialisms, so it is important to work with one who is specializing in your field of expertise.

Market Knowledge

A good recruiter will have deep market knowledge and will be able to advise on salary ranges, in-demand skills and changes within the market and sector. In addition, the recruiter will have a thorough understanding on which companies offer the best suited culture and working environment based on your search criteria.

Influence

Recruiters have long standing relationships with internal talent teams and hiring managers and will ensure your profile is seen by the right person. They will also present your profile in the best possible way by video or in person to clearly outline your experience, achievements, expectations, and motivations.

Candidate Experience

It has often been said that candidate's gain a better candidate experience when working with a recruiter. The recruiter should be able to provide deep insights into the hiring process, interview preparation, assist you with negotiating your conditions and guide you through your resignation with your current employer.

Feedback

Throughout the process the recruiter will ensure you receive thorough interview feedback directly from the hiring managers. This can be very helpful as you can often strengthen your performance throughout the process. Additionally, if the process ends with a negative decision, you will still gain detailed reasons as to why you have not been selected which will help with your own personal development and give you a better chance when applying to the next company.

Free

A common question asked is are recruiters free? The answer is yes. The services of a recruiter is completely free of charge and you have the freedom to back out of the process at any time.

GDPR Protected

All recruitment agencies need to be GDPR compliant which ensures your personal details and information are not disclosed to any third parties without your prior consent. Before your CV is formally introduced to a hiring manager, the recruiter will ask you to authorise representation permission via email.

Summary

Working with a recruiter should increase your chances of securing the offer and company you desire. This is due to range of opportunities, market reach, influence, and knowledge sharing. Of course, there are no guarantees you will be successful in every process, but you should receive a good candidate experience and get the chance to explore some amazing new opportunities.

As 2022 is coming to an end, we look back and reflect on what the year has bought us. 

Oselo Recruitment is well into its growth phase with bringing in new team memebers and growing our cliental, we all look forward to seeing what 2023 can bring. 

On Friday the team headed into London to celebrate all the sucess from this year. 

From everyone at Oselo, we wish you all a happy and healthy 2023.