This article was originally published by JetCake.

Freelancing can be isolating. The flexibility of freelancing is a double-edged sword: on the one hand, a professional can make their own hours and work from anywhere. On the other hand, a freelancer often works from home or at odd hours – and it can be lonely to work in that kind of solitude. 

Of course, loneliness can be resolved by going to a coffee shop to work or meeting up with other freelancers for a co-working session. The more serious threat to a freelancer’s career is the lack of professional development and mentorship that would otherwise be available in a traditional office environment. It’s incumbent on freelancers to seek out their own development and mentoring opportunities to continue to grow professionally. Often, there’s no formal corporate ladder, no regular one-on-ones and no development benefits available to freelancers. 

For a freelancer seeking professional development and mentorship opportunities, here are some steps to take to branch out and grow your skills.

Complete a skills evaluation

Part of learning where you can develop is identifying areas of strengths and weaknesses. This is an important first step to your professional development. “While it can be tempting to rely on a mentor to give you guidance on where you need to improve, you’ll get much more out of any mentorship relationship if you’ve done some self-reflection first,” writes Entrepreneur. 

There are a variety of tools to help you understand your work style. Some popular tools include: 

• Myers Briggs
• 16 personalities
• Clifton Strengthsfinder
• VIA Character Strengths Assessment 
• Core Values Index assessment 

If you don’t have the time or the budget to take a formal assessment, ask trusted colleagues or clients to give you some feedback on where you could improve. It could be as simple as asking a client what they think they will need ten years down the road: for instance, what coding language would be useful to learn? What business trends or customer preferences are they planning for? Map your development around the needs of your customers to stay sharp.

Create a professional development plan

Once you have a sense of where you can grow, create a professional development plan. Flexjobs says this step involves deciding on which of two areas you should focus your effort: “learning new skills or developing existing ones.” Essentially, do you want to become an expert in something you’re already good at or do you want to broaden your skill set to learn new things?

There’s no right answer to this question. But, it does help guide freelancers to spend their time thoughtfully. When you have a path to focus on you can then begin to carve out time each day to practise a skill, enroll in a class, attend a seminar or listen to podcasts. It also gives you direction when working with a career coach or mentor.

Work with a coach

JetCake is just one agency where freelance developers can take advantage of coaching and a network of professionals to get career development. Our coaching focuses on working through a series of real-world projects that will hone your skills in effective communication, accurate estimation, agile methodologies, product concepts and more. Once a freelance developer completes this phase in their relationship with JetCake, and successfully completes a project with a client, they will have access to JetCake Developer Network for ongoing support, learning and growth. Codementor is a similar organisation that offers live mentorship on freelance projects. 

Other freelancers work with career coaches to help get feedback on their business, skillset and growth. A career coach can weigh in on your LinkedIn profile, business development plan and help you expand your network much in the same way a traditional mentor would. They can be expensive though, so make sure you go into a career coaching relationship with a specific goal in mind.

Keep in touch with former colleagues

Harvard Business Review recommends trying to schedule two substantive contacts per month with former colleagues to combat freelancer isolation and to make sure you’re apprised of industry trends. “Seek out real, regular interactions with former colleagues. If lunch at the old office isn’t feasible, there’s always a sustained IM chat on Facebook, an outdoor activity or an invitation to dinner at your home. Such connections maintain continuity in your life. They also help you stay on top of what’s happening in your industry in a way that mere consumption of media can’t.” Keeping in touch with colleagues can help you find new business and learn more about your industry.

Join a coworking space

Join a co-working space or another professional development organisation, like Toastmasters. Co-working spaces frequently offer guest presentations or seminars to their members. Simply talking to people over lunch can also bring new learning opportunities across your desk. Find a way to network frequently and keep your big goals in mind as you interact with other freelancers, colleagues and coaches.

This article was originally published by Jetcake.

Looking to get hired in the new year? Freelance developers are in high demand. Analysts predict that roughly 4.5 million new tech jobs will be created by the end of 2020 to fuel the widespread adoption of the Internet of Things, the rise of AI, and growing cybersecurity concerns in virtually every industry. Developers with certain skills will be well-positioned to take advantage of the many opportunities coming this year.  

There are many soft skills professional developers need to be successful. Along with characteristics like communication, teamwork, and flexibility, job experience in these technical areas is predicted to be highly sought-after in 2020. Here’s where developers need to focus their professional development in the coming year. 

Python

“Python is one of the hottest skills out there, named the most in-demand skill for 2020 across nine of our global markets,” writes one industry analyst. Since 2018, there’s been a 45% increase in developers listing Python as one of their areas of expertise: this coding language is in high demand for its versatility and ease of learning. Because Python can support everything from functional programming to object-oriented programming, it will continue to be one of the most in-demand skills of 2020. 

Java and JavaScript

Research by Indeed found that demand for both Java and JavaScript has risen by 6% and 17%, respectively, since 2014. Similarly, Hackerrank’s research found that JavaScript was 2018’s most well-known language. Developers interested in working on mobile and web applications, games and database software should invest in Java training; those interested in front-end applications and making websites more interactive should spend time focusing on JavaScript. 

Web development

Companies are adopting new web development tools such as Gatsby.js, React Hooks, Next.js, and SwiftUI, according to Udemy. Gaining expertise in the newest, cutting-edge apps and software can give developers a competitive edge in the job market. If you’re already an expert in web development, consider deepening your experience by mastering one of these platforms. 

Amazon Web Services

Amazon is dominating the market in cloud computing with Amazon Web Services. Their comprehensive cloud division covers database storage, analytics, content delivery, and other services that help businesses scale and grow. Demand for experience in AWS has grown 418% since 2014; consider getting a certification in AWS for 2020 to improve your position in the job market. 

Cybersecurity

Recent headlines aside, cybersecurity is a continuous priority for businesses of all sizes. Small businesses are especially vulnerable, with 43% of cyber attacks aimed at small merchants who are ill-equipped to protect their customer data. Cybersecurity offers a lot of job security (pun not intended) as more and more companies collect and store sensitive customer data to fuel their marketing and product innovation. Expertise in data security, InfoSec, network security, penetration testing, and Linux security can earn developers a high salary in a fast-growing field. 

Machine learning

Machine learning encompasses a variety of capabilities related to AI and IoT. Python and Java are part of machine learning expertise, but so is C++, R, probability and statistics, data modeling, distributed computing, automation, deep learning, and more. This field focuses on teaching computers to perform specific tasks without explicit programming. A background in applied math, algorithms, and statistics is also very helpful.

Data science and analysis

“In the last two years alone, 90% of the world’s data has been generated. The digital era has helped businesses across all industries to collect and store data in great volumes and this rapid growth isn’t slowing down,” writes one industry analyst. Experts at The Economist argue that the world’s most valuable resource is no longer oil – it’s data. There’s an overwhelming amount of data available, and demand for developers who can help collect, clean, synthesize, and analyze this data has grown exponentially since 2005.

 

Across the board, career coaching has shown to have remarkable benefits for an individual’s career. The Institute of Coaching reports that over 70% of those who receive coaching see improvements in their work performance, communication skills and relationships.

Executive and senior managers routinely get coaching from consultants hired to help them develop their leadership skills. CEOs including Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Eric Schmidt have all worked with career coaches to hone their communication, develop new concepts and get feedback on their visions.

By working with a coach, developers and programmers can cultivate new skills, receive feedback on their career trajectory and learn how to future-proof their resume. Coaching can take different forms from informal coaching, like a coffee chat with experienced peers, to semi-formal mentoring or joining an organisation/team that provides mentorship. Coaching is critical to freelance developers seeking to stay ahead of the competition. Here’s why every developer needs career coaching along the way.

Develop your soft skills

Tech and coding skills dominate LinkedIn’s 2019 list of skills on employers’ wish lists. Most developers have a relatively easy time finding work. In the job market, 90% of developers have at least part-time work. Very few developers are unemployed and actively seeking a new job. It’s a great position to be in, but it does mean competition for work at top companies will be steep. How can a developer stand out from the crowd?

Soft skills are among the most in-demand qualifications any employee can have, yet many developers and programmers ignore this area of professional development. Linkedin’s list of most-needed skills includes creativity, persuasion, collaboration, adaptability and time management. These are things that can make a freelancer stand out to Silicon Valley CTOs and recruiters who view dozens of coding candidates for one open position.

“In general, people from the technology sector tend to focus on hard skills but are not as focused on the soft skills currently in high demand. Once an employer has figured out they have the hard-techy skills, what will make them stand out beyond that?” says one expert.

Coaching can help developers by simulating real-world projects that hone communication skills, teach candidates to use agile methodologies and prepare them for work in collaborative teams. Companies are seeking to hire and you can command a better position in the job market by becoming a well-rounded candidate with more than one skillset.

Get guidance on your career path

Because there’s always a demand for developers, it’s easy to set your career on autopilot. When one opportunity ends, inevitably a few others pop up. A tech career coach can help freelance developers and tech professionals undergoing a transition choose which opportunities are worthwhile.

“A tech career coach can help you figure out how you can get from working on small projects to large projects. They can assist you in planning which types of companies to work at in order to work on large-scale projects. If you are a freelancer, career coaching can help you design a plan to turn small opportunities into larger ones,” writes one software developer blog.

Get your questions about freelancing or consulting answered by someone with experience in the tech industry. A career coach can connect you with a larger network of professionals to help you proactively approach your career path.

Future-proof your skillset 

The tech industry is constantly evolving, and as AI, VR, and IoT trends grow, developers must add new skills to their arsenal. However, when you’re immersed in work every day, it can be hard to sit back and predict what skills you will need to develop next.

Take the growing demand for JavaScript as an example. In 2018, reports Hackerrank, 73% of developers said they knew JavaScript. This number is a marked increase from 67% in 2017 – and it makes JavaScript 2018’s most well-known language.

However, students graduating from computer science programs aren’t learning JavaScript. Only 42% of student developers are learning JavaScript – it’s simply not taught at most universities. That means most developers are having to teach themselves JavaScript to stay competitive in the current job market.

Coaching can help flag discrepancies like this for developers seeking to future-proof their knowledge and skillsets. “Coaches can use assessments to identify strengths and weaknesses, both in terms of personality and skillsets. They can also help job seekers understand how a skill can be applied in a different way to a new job,” writes TechRepublic. Coaches keep tabs on macro-trends in the tech world to tell you where you’re falling behind. Some tech coaches will also take it a step further and place a developer in a job. These coaches know IT recruiters and can help you study for the technical portion of an interview. Developers can take advantage of coaching to stay competitive in the job market, grow their soft skills and ensure the longevity of their professional status.

This article was originally published at JetCake.

 

 

 

Like you, I’ve trained TAE40116 and most of its earlier versions (TAE40110, TAA40104 and BSZ40198 – oh, the memories!) for quite a few years now.

As we grapple with the requirements of each supposedly improved and more rigorous (assessment-wise, anyway) iteration of the qualification, the one big thing that changes each time is the amount of assessment that each unit of competency demands.

Some people say this is good thing. Remember back to the early 2000s (when we were all young and beautiful!). We trained and assessed BSZ40198 – 8 units of competency with many trainers easily gaining RPL for a big chunk of it. It was pretty easy for trainers, assessors and learners, let’s face it.

Then TAA40104 emerged from the darkness as punishment for those of us who thought we had struck gold with BSZ. It contained a whopping 14 units of competency, nearly double its predecessor’s 8 units, with such gems as “Work effectively in vocational education and training” and “Foster and promote an inclusive learning culture”. Our lives as VET trainers and assessors were changed forever.

In 2010 sanity prevailed somewhat with the introduction of the new TAE40110 qualification. Only 10 units of competency but with a much heavier assessment load. We started spending more time in the classroom either explaining the assessment requirements or actually doing simulated assessments so as not to leave our students with a heartbreakingly heavy workload to take home at the end of the course.

Around 2014 we started to get news of the new TAE to be rolled out in 2016. 2 core units were to be added – TAELLN411 and TAEASS502. Savvy RTOs added these 2 units to their TAE40110 electives in preparation. As you no doubt recall, it took most RTOs an average of 18 months to get the new TAE on scope. We were able to teach out TAE40110 for 18 months until October 2017, simply because (much to ASQA’s discredit) there were very few RTOs who had the new version on scope before then.

Those of us who stayed training and assessing the new TAE (a lot of people didn’t hang around and sought the greener pastures of non-accredited training) had to contend with a mind-numbingly array of assessment requirements which we would spend hours in class and post-course explaining to our poor bewildered students. Our delivery module was taken up with 3 days of endless presentations, leaving precious little time for actual learning. Our assessment module was the same – almost no delivery or learning because we wanted to provide our learners with the opportunity to complete at least some of the assessments in class.

More recently, however, I’ve found some RTOs offering a vastly improved version of TAE40116 where their intructional designers have struck a much better balance between delivery and assessment. I’m sticking with them for the time being.

 

 

The work Christmas party and annual closure

Yes, Christmas is nearly upon us again. You’ve probably booked your venue for the annual celebration of your business’ stellar performance throughout the year. You want to thank your employees for their massive contribution and you probably feel like letting your hair down a bit too.

That’s great but it’s prudent to have a few checks in place before the big event:

• You no doubt already have strong policies on bullying and sexual harassment. Now is a good time to remind your people of these policies and to review what is expected of people generally when they attend a work-related function
• You should remind people a few days before the party of how you expect them to behave on the day itself
• Make sure the venue you choose has a responsible serving of alcohol (RSA) policy that they strictly adhere to
• On the day of the function ensure that at least one senior manager is present at all times during the function. It’s preferable if that person doesn’t drink at all. You can solicit the help of any other non-drinkers, if they’re willing to keep an eye on things
• Make sure you serve non-alcoholic drinks and plenty of food and water, keeping in mind any special dietary requirements
• If anyone seems drunk they should be immediately cut off from the bar and sent home in a cab
• Have a definite start and end time for your function and make sure people leave the venue when the time arrives. Don’t let people linger at the same venue. If they want to kick on they should go somewhere else
• Do not let anyone use their corporate credit card at a different venue. This also applies to you as the business owner, if you decide to kick on somewhere else. The idea is to separate your business from the social gathering, once the official party is over
• Make sure people can get home easily after the event. You could set up a work Uber account and have a designated person available to book people’s trips home. Cab charges are a good alternative
• Be sure to promptly and thoroughly investigate any complaints you receive about harassment, bullying or physical violence, as you would normally at any other time
• Don’t forget, if you do close down over Christmas, give employees at least a month’s notice and be prepared to answer questions about paid and unpaid leave, especially from your recently-hired employees who may not have enough accrued paid leave to see them through the annual shutdown.

2019 has arrived and business owners turn our minds to the year ahead while quietly reviewing the year that has been. How was your year? Better or worse than you had expected? Or pretty close to what you thought it would be?

Regardless of the sort of year you’ve had there are some HR challenges you should be thinking about for 2019 and beyond. Think of them as new year resolutions for your business:

• Make sure you and your managers are having regular catch-ups with staff. By regular I mean at least once a month but preferably even more often than that. The catch-up doesn’t need to be formal or documented. It’s absolutely vital that you don’t just rely on an annual performance appraisal process as your only means of discussing performance. Employees’ strengths and a strong focus on improvement should always be on your management team’s agenda. You and your managers should make it the number one priority for 2019 and every year after that
• Get your managers and staff trained in workplace harassment awareness, no matter how big or small your company is. You don’t want the Fair Work Commission knocking on your door when one of your employees lodges a formal complaint. Avoid the on-line versions of this type of training. They are purely a tick-the-box response and deliver very little learning. A better way is to use a skilled facilitator to conduct short workshops (around 1-2 hours) for managers and employees. Managers will learn how to handle a complaint and your staff will know you’re serious about eliminating harassment in the workplace
• Don’t forget to allow staff to have a support person with them if you’re having one of those meetings where you’re discussing someone’s future with your company. If you refuse to allow a support person that alone could be grounds for unfair dismissal, regardless of how well documented your termination process is.

2 other interesting HR items have recently emerged:

• Casuals – make sure you understand the difference between casual, contract and permanent employment. There is a big focus now on casuals actually qualifying for permanent employment and thus gaining an entitlement to paid leave and other benefits of permanent employment
• Family and domestic violence leave – This new entitlement allows employees experiencing family and domestic violence to use up to 5 days of unpaid leave. This includes taking time off to:
  • make arrangements for personal safety, or the safety of a family member
  • move house
  • attend court hearings
  • access police services.

 

The work Christmas party

It’s that time of year again and you’ve probably already booked your venue for the annual celebration of your business’ stellar performance throughout the year. You want to thank your employees for their massive contribution and you probably feel like letting your hair down a bit too.

That’s great but it’s prudent to have a few checks in place before the big event:

• You no doubt already have strong policies on bullying and sexual harassment. Now is a good time to remind your people of these policies and to review what is expected of people generally when they attend a work-related function
• On the day of the function make sure at least one senior manager is present at all times during the function. It’s preferable if that person doesn’t drink at all. You can solicit the help of any other non-drinkers, if they’re willing to keep an eye on things
• Make sure you serve non-alcoholic drinks and plenty of food and water, keeping in mind any special dietary requirements
• If anyone seems drunk they should be immediately cut off from the bar and sent home in a cab
• Have a definite start and end time for your function and make sure people leave the venue when the time arrives. Don’t let people linger at the same venue. If they want to kick on they have to go somewhere else
• Do not let anyone use their corporate credit card at a different venue. This also applies to you as the business owner, if you decide to kick on somewhere else. The idea is to separate your business from the social gathering, once the official party is over
• Make sure people can get home easily after the event. You could set up a work Uber account and have a designated person available to book people’s trips home.

From October 1 this year most Modern Awards will have a provision added allowing “a regular casual employee” with at least 12 months’ service to apply for their position to be made permanent. A regular casual employee is one who has worked a regular pattern of hours over a period of at least 12 months or more.

As an employer, you will have the right to refuse their application on reasonable grounds if you can demonstrate that, in the future, the work your casual employee currently performs will not be guaranteed or consistent and/or that the hours they work may need to be significantly altered or reduced within the next 12 months.

From January 1 2019, if you employ casuals, you will need to give them a copy of the clause which is being introduced on October 1 2018. All yet to be employed casuals will also need to receive a copy of the clause on commencement.

Now may be a good time to review your casual employment situation to ascertain whether you really employ casuals or permanent part-timers – call me on 1300 900 741 or email me for more information david@wurthhr.com.au

 

 

There are 6 really easy ways for  businesses in Australia to save money. Here’s a quick checklist:

1. If your business is based in NSW and you hire someone into a new position make sure you register with the NSW Government’s new hire scheme to be eligible for a rebate
2. Stop paying super on overtime – only in very special circumstances will you have to
3. Stop paying super beyond the current annual threshold of $216,120 (unless it’s specifically mentioned in your employees’ employment contract)
4. Stop paying super on employees’ salary sacrificed amounts
5. Have an updated leave policy which incorporates cashing out annual leave and making employees take their annual leave
6. Get your staff and managers trained in workplace harassment awareness training

These are really simple steps you can take almost straightaway. To find out more contact me on 1300 900 741 or email me at david@wurhthhr.com.au