2019 IT Salaries: Do Your Competitors Have Deeper Pockets?

, , , ,

Did you check out our recent 2019 Hiring Insights in IT yet? We’ve got the research you need to prepare for your 2019 hiring initiatives. Go ahead and take a look – we’ll be right here waiting when you get back.

 

Surveys tell us that less than half of all tech professionals are satisfied with their current salary. And they don’t have far to look for something better. The competitive state of the IT job market looks more and more attractive every day.

 

While money isn’t the only way to recruit and retain talent (more on this later), you can’t deny that it’s a massive motivator. Thus, staying up to date with IT market rates is essential.

 

An Employer’s Quick Guide to 2019 IT Salaries

The IT pros we know love a good challenge, want to work for great companies, and embrace flexibility. But they still have bills to pay. That’s why comparing your current IT compensation package with market rates is critical to stay competitive.

 

10 years ago, the average IT salary sat at $78,845. But a decade is a lifetime in the tech industry. Today’s average IT professional is making $93,244, a significant increase over time. What era are your salaries in? Below we break down 2019 IT salaries by function, technologies, experience level, and employment type.

 

2019 IT Salaries by Function

Bear in mind, these numbers aren’t set in stone. They are highly dependent on experience level, region, industry, company size, and other elements like bonuses and perks. But the following numbers from Dice.com provide a solid baseline. Check them out.

 

 

2019 IT Salaries by Technology

Programming, big data, and cloud technologies are among the highest paying skills in the tech world. They’re also the areas that companies need talent for the most. If your 2019 IT initiatives cover these trends, you need to budget accordingly. Are you looking for talent with the following skills? If so, adjust your baseline to reflect these Dice.com salaries.

 

 

2019 IT Salaries by Experience

In this current war for tech talent, many companies are choosing to compromise. Rather than following a strict list of technical requirements and experience that severally narrows the talent pool, many employers are beginning to see the perks of hiring junior talent whom they can train and develop. In this scenario, the focus of their hiring profile is on soft skills; quality candidates must have the ability and drive to learn, adapt, and collaborate.

 

What impact does this decision make on your budget? Data from Dice.com breaks average tech salaries down by the following experience levels.

 

 

2019 IT Salaries by Employment Type

One major factor in what you pay your tech talent will of course be whether you hire them on as full-time permanent employees or as contractors. IT pros who choose to work on a contract basis do so for the higher pay, greater flexibility, and broader range of experience and opportunities it offers them. For companies whose hiring initiatives require highly specialized talent for niche projects, contract-based employees are the obvious choice. It’s a win-win situation that is becoming increasingly popular among both professionals and companies.

 

That said, it does throw a bit of a wrench in your compensation calculations. Hiring a contractor relieves the burden of taxes and benefits, but you will end up paying higher rates as a result. Choosing to partner with a staffing firm will give you even greater security and ease, not to mention a deeper talent pool, but again, this will be reflected in the salary rates.

 

Dice.com provides the following averages for IT salaries by employment type.

 

 

But It’s Going to Take More Than Money

At the end of the day, whether you’re focused on recruiting or retaining (or both), the big picture is made of more than dollar signs. Finding and keeping the best people comes down to experience, to relationships, and to intuition. At Brightwing, our motto is “Recruiting, Reimagined” – which means getting out of the transactional mindset of hiring and managing, and, instead, really getting to know the people behind the resumes and paychecks.

 

Yes, people want higher salaries – they do, after all, have mortgages, childcare, groceries, and vacations to pay for – but they also want better working conditions, more responsibilities, greater flexibility, and meaningful career development options. Did you know that 35% of IT professionals say they are very burnt out? Can you commit to being an employer that flips that statistic on its head?

 

We’d love to find out more about what you’re doing to attract top tech talent. We’re all ears. Got five minutes to chat?

 

Get the latest research in our 2019 Hiring Insights in IT Guide

Brightwing 2019 Hiring Insights in IT

, ,

This year feels a little bit reminiscent of the movie Groundhog Day with Bill Murray. We’re seeing the same forecasts that have been the reality for months: demand for tech talent massively exceeds the supply. In fact, this will be a repeating scenario for the next decade, with a debilitating talent shortage to the tune of 4.3 million tech workers on a global scale by 2030. It’s a gap that is detrimental to business growth, costing companies trillions of dollars collectively and opening up the door to serious cyber risk.

 

This supply-demand tug of war is the underlying theme for many of the recruiting and hiring trends that are top of mind this year. Our aim is to provide you with a comprehensive guide to the IT labor market to prepare your staffing and recruiting practices for the year ahead.

 

Contents

  • A Quick Glance at the 2019 Labor Market
  • A New Focus for the Future of Hiring
  • Hiring Insights in Information Technology
  • 2019 from the Perspective of Key Leaders

A Glance at the 2019 Labor Market

[vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”center” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” css_animation=””][vc_column][vc_column_text] [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” css_animation=””][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]

The national unemployment rate is at a record low since 1969 and is even lower in many industry sectors and regional markets. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]

This is a typical increase in wages, only 0.1% higher than 2018, which implies stagnant wage growth.

However, job switchers in tech can expect a 9.1% wage increase – a highly attractive reason to seek something new. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text][vc_empty_space]

25.7% of employees are actively seeking new job opportunities.

And 55.5% are passively open to new job opportunities. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column]

 

 

 

 

Best cities for jobs

Glassdoor ranks these cities based on hiring opportunity, cost of living, and overall job satisfaction:

  1. Pittsburgh, PA
  2. St. Louis, MO
  3. Indianapolis, IN
  4. Cincinnati, OH
  5. Hartford, CT
  6. Boston, MA
  7. Memphis, TN
  8. Raleigh, NC
  9. Cleveland, OH
  10. Detroit, MI

 

Top Perks Employers are Highlighting

  • Casual dress codes
  • Employee discounts
  • Remote work opportunities
  • Extra paid time off
  • Signing bonuses
  • Free lunches
  • Gym memberships
  • Work from home Fridays
  • Daycare

 

A New Focus for the Future of Hiring

 

In 2018, AI-powered recruitment technologies took off across every industry. Seeking to automate the application, screening, and interviewing processes, these tools unburden the hands and minds of recruiters and corporate talent acquisition professionals everywhere.

 

However, our stance on this trend has been, and always will be, that humans are greater than machines – most especially in recruiting for highly skilled Technology, Finance, Engineering and Marketing professionals.

 

Even with a quarter of employees looking for a new job, and over half passively interested should the opportunity present itself, employers cannot rely on the programming of their recruitment technology to make the right matches and entice the best-fit talent. This is the year that employers must focus on the human side of recruitment, specifically, the candidate experience.

 

Here are a few numbers proving why the candidate experience is critical this year:

[vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”center” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” css_animation=””][vc_column][vc_column_text] [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” css_animation=””][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]

68% of employees believe the candidate experience is a reflection of the employee experience [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]

51% of people continue to look for jobs even after they’ve accepted an offer[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]

31% of candidates expect a customized message when a company reaches out with a new opportunity [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]

55% of applicants give up if they haven’t heard back from a company within two weeks [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]

 

 

In short, the role of the candidate experience in your recruitment process cannot be overlooked. One in seven new hires accept a job offer only to walk away at the last minute. Do not let this become your story.

 

Quick steps to an awesome candidate experience

  1. A fast and easy (and mobile-responsive) application process
  2. Quick feedback and responses to every candidate
  3. A compelling employer brand that reflects your company culture
  4. Personalized emails, phone calls, and messages throughout the process
  5. A short, but thorough, interview process
  6. A clear understanding of the benefits and perks you offer
  7. An efficient and valuable onboarding process

 

Hiring Insights in Information Technology

 

There is no surprise that the IT field continues to be one of the most competitive to recruit in. Unemployment remained under 2% for most of 2018, and 33% of organizations plan on increasing their IT staff in 2019. That is the recipe for a high-demand, low-supply IT marketplace.

 

 

 

 

One in four IT professionals plans to look for a new job in 2019:

 

[vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”center” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” css_animation=””][vc_column][vc_column_text] [/vc_column_text][/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” css_animation=””][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]

62% are seeking a better salary [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]

52% are seeking IT skill advancement [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]

36% are seeking better work-life balance [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/4″][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]

35% are seeking more prioritization of IT [/vc_column_text][/vc_column]

 

2019 from the Perspective of Key Leaders

 

“Low unemployment and increasing skills gaps continue to plague employers who are struggling to fill roles at all levels within their organizations,” said Matt Ferguson, CEO of CareerBuilder. “Fifty percent of U.S. employers reported that it is taking them longer to fill jobs today compared to any other period of time — a trend that is ultimately giving job seekers more leverage.”

How Are You Overcoming the Tech Talent Shortage?

 

You’re probably gearing up for 2019 hiring, but some of these statistics might be concerning.

 

For us, these statistics are eye-opening. We’re always looking for new ways to partner with companies to overcome these challenges. Our talent acquisition solutions are one-part relationships, one-part insight, and one-part results. It’s a recipe that works every time, and we’d love to introduce you.

 

We want to partner with you. Let’s chat.

How I Recruit the Best .NET Developers

, ,

How I Recruit the Best .NET DevelopersWhere in the world are the best .NET developers?

 

Honestly, I can’t give you exact coordinates, but I have figured out what it takes to recruit the best of the best.

 

It’s been 16 years since the .NET framework was first launched into the world, but the need for skilled professionals has only continued to increase. To this day, Microsoft invests heavily in the framework, and the popularity of related languages like C# add to the demand. This places pressure on “.NET” shops and their internal recruiting teams to find top quality .NET developers.

 

It’s not that these professionals don’t exist in large numbers. But with unemployment rates at historic lows combined with all-time highs in terms of demand, the vast majority of these developers are gainfully employed. Recruiting them from the competition is a major challenge. Attracting that talent requires a unique approach.

 

How Can I Be Heard Above the Noise?

I recently placed a .NET developer who wasn’t looking for a new job at all. He was happy with his previous employer and mostly tuned out all the LinkedIn messages he received from recruiters on a regular basis. But something in what I wrote to him was heard above the noise. First, it was clear I understood his unique skillset – from the .NET framework to OOP, MVC, and specific coding languages, I knew how these technologies fit into our client’s project. I also took the time to connect on his other interests – his LinkedIn profile mentioned he loved soccer, for example. Mine was the only LinkedIn message this candidate ever responded to, and I was able to match him with a new job that he loves.

 

Every recruiter on the planet uses LinkedIn to seek out top talent. But most don’t take the time to craft personal, authentic messages that show they’ve taken the time to understand what each candidate is really about. IT professionals – especially those in high demand like .NET developers – get pretty good at tuning out the astronomical number of LinkedIn messages that fill up their inboxes.

 

Successfully building relationships with .NET talent requires a real understanding of the technology – what other skills go hand-in-hand with it and what a client’s development project might look like. But it also requires some serious authenticity. I’m not just another recruiter trying to make a buck; I’m actively trying to help people find their dream jobs, and that takes a human, non-transactional approach. I listen to them, I learn about their lives and careers, and present them with opportunities that make sense.

 

Why Does the Perfect Candidate Want to Work for You?

When I start working with a client to help fill their positions, one of my first questions used to be, “tell me about your perfect candidate.” In the current market, especially for in-demand roles like .NET developers, it’s not enough to advertise your requirements and wait for people to show up. Instead, we’ve turned that question on its head and ask, “why would the perfect candidate want to work for your company?”

 

We need to determine what makes your work environment, company culture, and current projects unique. And how that meshes with candidates’ career goals and experiences is critically important in today’s hiring environment.

 

The information we share with candidates isn’t their only source of insight. Companies should be aware that most candidates will use every resource available to gather intel on a potential employer. That includes Glassdoor reviews, LinkedIn company pages, and employer branding pages (i.e., your careers webpage and job portal), as well as simple word of mouth from previous and current employees.

 

I’ve also found that the perspective of your company culture needs to be aligned among your own employees. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. I once worked closely with an IT Director who told me about the company’s collaborative work environment and overall great company culture. But when my candidate interviewed with the Development Manager, he was essentially told that he’d be on an island, with little additional training or team collaboration. Clearly, there was a disconnect between the director and hiring manager, and what seemed on the surface like the perfect opportunity was not the right fit for this candidate.

 

It Takes Process, Experience, and Commitment

The way I recruit the best .NET developers sounds simple enough, but it does take real commitment. I know many of these professionals are stuck dealing with staffing firms that simply don’t understand that. Fortunately, I also have major support through the Brightview Process – learn more about that here.

 

Don’t hesitate to reach out if you’re seeking top .NET talent. I’d love to share my insight and help you out. Just pick up the phone or shoot us an email.

32 Top IT Skills for 2018

, , ,

 

32 Top IT Skills for 2018

 

As IT functions continue to stretch deeper into every industry and sector, there’s no denying how robust the market is. The tech unemployment rate sits at just 2.5 percent, often dropping as low as zero percent in fields like cybersecurity. But it’s not enough to say that the IT industry is booming. What do these statistics mean as you drill down into specific technical roles? To be of any use, either to IT professionals who are seeking new opportunities or to leaders who are planning this year’s IT initiatives, we need to dig deeper into the actual technologies and languages that are driving the flow of supply and demand.

 

 

Hot Tech Skills for 2018

Dice.com has built a valuable data science tool that gives us insight into how supply and demand relate to specific tech skills. The technologies listed below have the highest ratio of demand to supply. While they are not necessarily the most in-demand skills across the IT function, they are the areas that are hurting the most when it comes to filling positions:

 

Hot Programming Languages

  1. Scala
  2. Ruby
  3. Bash
  4. Python
  5. Shell
  6. R
  7. Perl
  8. PHP

 

Hot Data Skills

  1. NoSQL
  2. Apache Kafka
  3. Apache Spark
  4. js
  5. MongoDB
  6. Splunk
  7. Apache Hadoop
  8. R

 

The competition for IT professionals with any of these skills is high, with many organizations experiencing a significant skills gap and an overall shortage of talent for these positions. To attract the talent that does exist, companies may need to evaluate their hiring processes and employer branding in order to stay ahead of the competition.

 

 

Most In-Demand Tech Skills in 2018

What about the IT skills that are being advertised the most? While the difference between supply and demand is on more equal footing for the following skills, these are the technologies which are in highest demand overall. The following are the most advertised IT skills:

 

  1. SQL
  2. Java
  3. Javascript
  4. C#
  5. HTML
  6. Python
  7. .NET
  8. Network Security
  9. Big Data

 

These skills have remained in high demand with such consistency in recent years that professionals and organizations alike can have confidence in continuing to use these technologies for years to come.

 

 

Fastest Growing Tech Skills in 2018

Finally, it is valuable to consider the technologies and skills with the greatest year-over-year increase in both job seeker and company search activity. Indeed provides key insight into which skills are growing the fastest:

 

Greatest Growth in Job Seeker Activity

  1. React
  2. Amazon Web Services
  3. Azure
  4. Angular
  5. Mandarin
  6. Tableau
  7. Laravel
  8. Golang

 

Greatest Growth in Employer Search Activity

  1. React
  2. Azure
  3. Amazon Web Services
  4. Offensive Security Certification
  5. Spark
  6. Angular
  7. R
  8. Golang

 

For IT professionals looking to develop their technical skill sets, these areas provide an indication into what technologies may be in future demand. Likewise, for companies exploring new technology initiatives or trying to future-proof their technical infrastructure and operations, these fast-growing IT skills will likely serve as a solid foundation.

 

 

Leveraging the Top IT Skills for 2018

With 60 percent of CIOs from various industries reporting a skills shortage, it’s important for both job seekers and companies to gain a greater understanding of the market in order to protect their futures. Studying the top tech skills from a variety of perspectives, including greatest skills gap, highest demand, and fastest growth, will help both parties understand what actions to take when preparing for the future.

How are you preparing for the future of IT?

 

 

Related Articles
Take Your Career to the Next Level

5 Tips for Purpose-Driven Recruiting

Employee Engagement: Win the War for Talent

6 Recruitment Mistakes to Avoid at All Costs

, , , , , , , , ,

6 Mistakes to Avoid When Recruiting

Recruiting is not merely a function of HR, it’s essential to the success of your organization. Without a well-defined strategy for recruiting talent, you run the risk of making inefficient and costly hiring decisions—up to $17,000 in lost productivity, compromised work quality, and turnover.

To ensure better hires, you need a targeted recruiting strategy that will help identify high-quality candidates who align with the requirements of the position and the corporate culture. Avoiding these six recruitment mistakes can help streamline your hiring process so you can make more reliable hiring decisions that will elevate and enhance company performance.

1. Hiring in desperation mode

When you’re desperate, you can often make hasty decisions that can have long-term (often negative) consequences for your organization. This is as true in hiring as anywhere else.

That’s why it’s essential to approach the recruitment process proactively, not reactively. Building and maintaining a pipeline of potential candidates, even when you’re not actively hiring, ensures that you always have a pool of pre-vetted, talented individuals to choose from.

This will reduce time pressure and help improve the quality of your hires.

Here are some steps you can take to build a talent pipeline:

  • Regularly attend networking events
  • Engage with potential candidates on social media and other digital platforms
  • Partner with a professional hiring agency that already has a pipeline in place

2. Failing to validate traits

Resumés can be misleading. Everyone naturally puts their best foot forward and, as a result, often overstates their previous experience and success. In fact, Forbes published a startling report last year, claiming that 70% of workers lie on their resumés.

As a result, validating each candidate’s values, aptitudes, passion, behaviors, and skills is absolutely critical. You can do this through a series of screening activities, including tailored assessments, reference checking, and more.

The more you validate candidates early in the hiring process, the less turnover you’ll have.

3. Not tapping into your personal network

Referral hires are 40% more likely to remain with an employer after the first year than non-referral hires. So if you aren’t leveraging your personal network in the recruitment process, you’re missing out on high-value opportunities.

4. Skipping the pre-screening phone call

You don’t want to waste time on a candidate that will never be a good fit for the role. Pre-screening phone calls, then, are an essential time management tool for your recruiting team. During these calls, you can quickly get a sense of the candidate’s:

  • Communication skills
  • Professionalism
  • Genuine interest in the position
  • Knowledge of the industry and their own trade

By screening out obvious bad fits, you can ensure your recruiters (internal or external) are only spending time with candidates you might actually hire.

5. Hiring based on instinct

Sure, intuition plays a role in the hiring process. But relying on your gut too much can lead to biased and inconsistent decisions. Instead, it’s important to have some kind of standard hiring process to enable evidence-based hiring decisions.

Brightwing has a time-tested process that involves multiple stages of assessment and strategic planning to ensure we’re finding the best candidates for your needs.

6. Speaking before listening

To the best of your ability, you should avoid telling applicants what the ideal candidate looks like before you find out who they are and what they can do.

By opening the conversation to explore their intrinsic motivations, problem-solving skills, and perspectives, you gain insights that would otherwise go unnoticed. This approach not only respects the individuality of applicants but also enriches your understanding of how they might contribute uniquely to the team.

Avoid these recruitment mistakes with a dedicated talent partner

It can take a great deal of time and energy to avoid these recruitment mistakes. That’s why it’s a good idea to have a talent partner in your corner that can take the reins of the hiring process. Learn more about Brightwing’s tested process here.

5 Tips for Purpose-Driven Recruiting

, , , , , , , ,

5 Tips for Purpose-Driven Recruiting

 

The art and science of recruiting with purpose goes beyond matching a skill set to a job requirement. It’s about understanding the position and its impact on the organization and industry—and finding the ideal candidate who aligns with the organization’s core values and the other employees.

 

 

Brightwing’s 5 Tips for Purpose-Driven Recruiting will help you make more reliable, high-quality hiring decisions.

 

1. Know the Position—Intimately

Candidates will perform their due diligence researching your company, checking out social media channels, browsing through the website, and gathering competitive salary information long before sitting down for the interview.

 

Therefore, use the time to share information the candidate doesn’t know. Explain how the position impacts the organization, and describe recent critical projects that were completed. Discuss the candidate’s short- and long-term career goals and explain how the job will help achieve those goals. Bonus Tip: Identify specific training and programs that are in place to support and encourage employees’ professional growth.

 

2. Define the Ideal Candidate

This exercise will help you define characteristics of the actual human being who will be most successful in the role. This goes beyond skills, education, and even experience. Once a candidate aligns with the organization’s core values, identify characteristics that will ensure long-term success within the company as well as the department.

 

Consider two employees: one working in accounting the other in marketing. Even though their core values may be equally aligned with the organization’s, the characteristics that define the ideal candidate for their respective roles will likely look very different.

 

3. Answer the Question: Why?

Why should a highly qualified, perfectly aligned candidate sign an employee agreement with your organization? Every organization promotes work-life balance, culture, and people. Dig deeper. Give them more. Take time to consider the type of role you are hiring for and what you would expect the ideal candidate to want from the role. Talk about a cross-departmental innovation team that meets quarterly, and specific projects that are in process and on the horizon. Share an employee success story and tell an anecdote about a company party or event. This is a great way to say you have a great company culture without actually saying it.

 

4. Let Employees Tell your Story

Don’t limit testimonials to customers! Let your current employees be your greatest supporters. Give them the opportunity to share comments on the company website via short quotes or even short videos. Develop a variety of examples, including project diversity, holiday parties, on- and off-site events, etc. Be as transparent as possible. Remember, you want to attract and hire employees who will thrive in the organization and hopefully share their own testimonial one day.

 

5. Promote, promote, promote!

This is a recruiting step that takes planning and strategy. Get involved in events, forums, conferences, and meet–ups where you can connect with the right people. Invest in a strong social media presence to continuously engage directly and indirectly with your audience. Most importantly, push for referrals, as the best hires are often found in your employees’ network.

 

IT Jobs: 10 Interview Tips to Showcase Your Skills

, , , , ,

IT Jobs: 10 Interview Tips to Showcase Your Skills

 

So you say you’re an incredible .NET developer? That’s awesome, but if you have trouble communicating your expertise to a non-technical interviewer, we’re here to help! Our IT recruiting team has truly seen it all. With years of experience, finding great IT jobs for tech professionals is our bread and butter. I sat down with our recruiters to get the real-world advice they give interviewees to help them land their next IT job. Here’s what they said:

 

1. It’s okay to be nervous. It’s natural, and interviewers usually expect it. Don’t psych yourself out by trying to cover it up. It usually comes off as awkward.

 

2. Take a notebook with you to take notes throughout the interview. Even if you don’t think you need it, not taking notes can send the wrong message. You can even use the notebook to your advantage by writing down questions you may have for the interviewee beforehand.

 

3. Evaluate yourself afterwards by writing down any questions that may have stumped you immediately after an interview. Re-evaluate your answer so you can decide if and how you might answer it differently in the future. The more interviews you go on, the more confident you’ll become when taking this extra step.

 

4. Give specific examples when answering a question while still being concise. If you aren’t sure that you gave them enough information ask, “Does that answer your question?” or “Would you like more information?” to prevent from rambling on.

 

5. Be prepared to talk about your technical abilities with someone with no technical knowledge. Many times, at least one of your interviewers will have little knowledge of the systems you work with. Be able to describe your experience in detail in terms that non-practitioners would understand.

 

6. Pay attention to body language. If you notice your interviewer getting impatient, wrap up your point quickly so you can move on to the next topic. Remember that many interviews only last an hour, so be conscious of the time to allow enough time for all their questions and yours.

 

7. Eye contact and a firm handshake. So many people forget this, but it’s critical to making a good impression.

 

8. Study the job description before you go into the interview. Even if you don’t have all of the skills “required,” there is a reason they have agreed to meet with you. If you know or have experience with 80% of the description, focus on researching the 20% that you don’t. It will show that you have drive. You can also use the 20% you don’t know as a weakness (if they ask), and spin it into something positive where it shows you’re capable of learning and improving in these areas.

 

9. Silence is okay. If you have fully answered the interviewer’s question, STOP. Don’t ramble on. The interviewer may just be taking notes or collecting their thoughts.

 

10. Get the interviewers’ contact information. Send all interviewers a hand-written thank you note, or email them a thank you at the very least. Pro tip: master the fine art of writing the perfect thank you note.

 

 

 

Security Measures in the Automotive Industry

, ,

Security Measures in the Automotive Industry

 

Technology in cars is quickly evolving. With that, however, it’s important to take security measures into account similar to the Aviation industry. Over the years, cyber crime has quickly increased, making it easier for hackers to tap into confidential information. The more technology rises, the more these individuals find tools and new ways to break the system.

 

About a year ago this light was shone in the Aviation industry by an individual named Chris Roberts who claimed he could easily hack into an airplane’s system. According to CNN, he said he had even taken control of an engine once. While Boeing, one of the main companies who handles security measures, had their doubts about this claim, the reality is that it’s not impossible. Like any software, this too could be hacked.

 

In order to prevent these issues, the Auto industry is tapping a Boeing executive to lead its cybersecurity group to ensure that their autonomous systems are safe. While auto-cars are an exciting feature, having security measures as a priority is crucial to introduce this new technology into the market. If not, it may end up doing more harm than good.

Quitting Your Job? 5 Things to Consider

, , , , , , , ,

Quitting Your Job? 5 Things to Consider

 

Quitting your job is a big move that, if done right, may be beneficial to your career. However, make sure it is the right time and for the right reasons. With such a big change, it’s crucial that you are strategic when quitting your job, to position yourself to move forward in your career rather than being stuck in unemployment. Although frustration creeps up in all of us, you don’t want to find yourself in a place where you’re struggling to get your career back on track. Here are five things to consider before quitting your job:

 

1. Check Your Finances

For most, if not all, money is the greatest motivator that will keep you in a job or push you to a new one. Quitting your job may seem impossible if you’re not financially stable. However, this shouldn’t be the reason you stay at a job you hate. Plan ahead with your finances, and save some money to use as a safety net. This will give you the liberty to take some time in finding your perfect job without feeling pressured to go back.

 

2. Start Your Job Search

Sometimes those who are already employed, make the best candidates. Don’t close yourself off to new opportunities. Begin the job application process before quitting your job, to make the transition from one job to another easier, and less stressful.

 

3. Keep It To Yourself

Although it’s okay to talk to other companies while you are employed, keep it to yourself. You certainly do not want this information to reach management, resulting in burnt bridges. When the time comes, be discreet when you quitting your job.

 

4. Stick With Your Main Reason

When you quit, you will need to provide your boss a reason as to why you’re leaving. Remain professional, respectful and don’t hurt your reputation. Your next employer is likely to call for a reference, and you don’t want to leave them with a bad impression.

 

5. Be Your Best Until The End

Once the end is in sight, it is so easy to slack off– Don’t! Stay focused and continue to work hard to accomplish all the tasks needed. This will leave your employers with a great impression, maintaining relationships that may pay off in the future. Make the transition for your coworkers and boss as smooth as possible.

Self-Driving Cars — Automotive News

, ,

Self Driving Cars: Automotive News

 

From Ford to Tesla, the automotive industry is rapidly moving forward with self-driving cars. With such a great and innovative technology at their fingertips, every company is working towards perfecting these vehicles to release them into the market. It’s a fact that self-driving cars are bound to transform and impact the automotive industry. We are seeing it now, and we will continue to see it as these vehicles grow. That’s why there’s no surprise that such widely known companies are partaking in the development of self-driving cars.

 

CB Insights highlights “33 Corporations Working On Autonomous Vehicles” that are taking a main role in this project’s development, including:

  • Apple
  • Audi
  • Bosch
  • Google
  • Delphi
  • FCA
  • Jaguar
  • Microsoft
  • Intel
  • Uber

 

As you can see (and as you may have guessed) tech companies are heavily involved as well! One of the most known tech giants working in this is Google, but Apple and Microsoft are not too far behind. They have both started to research and develop the most high-tech systems to make these self-driving cars a reliable reality. Furthermore, suppliers are also keeping up with the new technology. For example, an Audi with Delphi technology recently saw success by driving 3,000 miles on its own 99% of the time. With such advancements, automotive companies have also started to set launching dates. Nissan predicts to have 10 self-driving cars on sale by 2020, along with other companies like PSA Groupe, Volvo and BMW who all predict to have some sort of autonomous mode during this time as well.

Whether you’re a fan of self-driving cars or not, this innovation is sure to shake things up in the automotive industry.

Texas Is the Place to Be for IT Professionals

, , ,

Texas is the Place to Be for IT Professionals

 

As technology grows, IT professionals are in high-demand all around the globe. However, various companies have taken a special interest in Texas. After all, a growing state is perfect for a growing industry. According to Forbes, Austin, TX holds the “strongest expansion in tech sector employment of any of the nation’s 52 largest metropolitan areas” (Kotkin). Best part? Not only are various opportunities arising, but these opportunities come with bigger paychecks.

 

TechRepublic, a site which educates and empowers IT professionals to grow in the business, presents an interesting report “What cities are most profitable for these common tech jobs?” highlighting various positions where IT professionals get the most value. While Silicon Valley is known for being home to the largest technology companies, employees may not be better off there. In fact, more than half of these positions ranked number one in Austin, Texas. These include:

 

  • Software Architect
  • Database Administrator
  • Devops Engineer
  • Data Scientists
  • Java Developer
  • Front End Developer
  • Mobile Developer
  • Web Developer

 

Various companies are making the big move to Texas, and the growth is expected to continue. As the next tech hub, IT professionals in the area are in great position to grow within the industry. Check out some of Brightwing’s open IT positions located throughout Texas.

Southeast Michigan Ranks Among Best for Tech Jobs [Infographic]

, , ,

Employment for tech jobs in Southeast Michigan has skyrocketed in the last 4 years. From engineering to science technologies, Metro Detroit ranks among the best. The growing technology hub has even been compared to Silicon Valley in recent months.

 

Many of the vast opportunities in Southeast Michigan stem from its booming tech economy. That being said, most of these opportunities include high-tech, high-wage jobs. It’s not too surprising that Metro Detroit ranks first in advanced automotive industry jobs, but it also ranks first in number of engineering degrees earned, and second in overall growth in all technology occupations.


What does this mean for Southeast Michigan?

Simply put, growth. Along with other technology hubs such as Dallas and San Jose, Southeast Michigan is on the map as one of the fastest emerging regions for new innovations and tech jobs. Some companies that have been part of the Metro-Detroit tech boom include Chrysler Automotive  and the Tweddle Group.

 

What happens next?

We keep going. Detroit and its surrounding cities are slowly working to reinvent its reputation. The opportunities for startups and business development have never been better. The numbers speak for themselves. How has the emergent tech industry effected your career or business? Leave a comment below.

 

tech jobs michigan

How to Negotiate a Job Offer

, , , , , , , , , ,

How to Negotiate a Job Offer

 

Negotiating a job offer begins the moment you start your job search. The key is to be prepared by researching similar positions in the industry. Doing your homework will help you make smarter, more reasonable decisions and establish a negotiation strategy. The most important factor in negotiating a job offer is confidence – confidence in your skills, talents, experience, and education. The way you hold yourself and present your capabilities will help convince the hiring manager that you will be a valuable asset to the organization. Learn the dos and don’ts on how to successfully negotiate a job offer with these three articles:

 

How to Negotiate A Job Offer

Learn great tips and strategies from Forbes on “How To Negotiate A Job Offer“. This article will guide you on every step of the process from the beginning stages of your job search, to the final negotiating stages. Not sure what to actually say during the negotiation? This article also provides a word-for-word example on what to say and what responses to expect from the hiring manager.

 

 

Don’t Make These 8 Mistakes When Negotiating Salary

Preparation is key to negotiate a job offer. Avoid these “8 Mistakes When Negotiating Salary“, as discussed in U.S. News. From lying about your last salary, to playing games, find out what may be causing you to loose the job offer completely. Don’t let these mistakes become experiences you are forced to learn from! They may cost you a great job offer and a great position.

 

 

How To Negotiate Salary: 37 Tips You Need To Know

According to The Muse, most people avoid negotiating their salary out of fear. Overcome this fear, and become a better negotiator with their article “How To Negotiate Salary: 37 Tips You Need To Know“. The article gives tips on every stage of the process including:

 

  • Getting Prepared
  • Starting The Conversation
  • Making the Ask
  • Getting An Answer (and Dealing With the Aftermath)

2016 Technologies .NET Developers Should Know About

, , ,

sdtimes.comIt’s an exciting time to be a .NET Developer. As Microsoft continues to innovate across desktop, mobile and web, findings indicate that many opportunities lay ahead for the .NET developers ecosystem.

 

 

 

 

3 Trending topics in the .NET Developer community:

 

Microsoft brings new opportunities to .NET developers

Microsoft’s embrace of the open-source community and focus on cross-platform development is making it an exciting time for .NET developers, according to a recently released report. The report revealed developers prefer Xamarin for their mobile development efforts, with Apache Cordova being the top choice for hybrid mobile development. Read more…

 

Advancing Down the SharePoint Path to Greater Productivity

SharePoint’€™s popularity has ebbed and flowed over time, but now it is most certainly on an upward trend. Microsoft also continues to make large investments into the development tools surrounding SharePoint, which makes partners very happy. One just needs to search for SharePoint add-ons and will be absolutely astounded by the results. Read more…

 

Introducing Neo4j 3.0: Most powerful & easy-to-use graph database | Availability: Java/JavaScript/Python/.NET Developers

Neo Technology, creator of Neo4j, the world’s leading graph database, just announced the immediate general availability of Neo4j 3.0 — a landmark release propelling graph databases into the mainstream thanks to its massive scalability, new language drivers and a raft of other developer-friendly properties. Read more…

 

 

.net developers referral brightwingBrightwing is Currently Paying $1,250 for .NET/Java Referrals – To learn more, Click here!

Project Management Tips, Tricks, & Predictions

, ,

Economic upswings and disruptive technologies are fueling uneven growth across project-intensive sectors such as telecom, energy, construction and aerospace. However, the Project Management Institute reported 7 sectors that have clear need for project management expertise.
 

5 Project Management Predictions for 2016

Project management has not been immune to technology improvements. It has been intensely impacted, with managers facing changes in teams’ working environment on a yearly, if not quarterly basis. If you still haven’t caught onto these growing trends in project management, don’t keep pushing it off until you’re behind the curve. 5 predictions.

 

Top Project Management Systems For Development Teams

While there are plenty of project management tools on the market, many of them are focused on non-technical areas. To help you figure out the best combination of tools, seven Forbes Technology Council members offer their top picks.
Top PM Systems Right Now.

 

Get Involved with Your Local PMI Chapter | Membership Benefits

Project Management Institute is the world’s leading not-for-profit professional membership association for the project, program and portfolio management profession. Meet your peers, network and build knowledge, and enjoy activities and events. PMI Local Chapters

Companies in Connected Car News (Not Only Auto Industry)

, , , , ,

Companies in the U.S (and beyond) are hitting new autonomous milestones every day. The competition is heavy, and so is the creativity. GM and Toyota are in the news again, but so is…Dominoes? 5 trending connected car stories this week:

 

 

GM Deal Is A Big Move In Autonomous Vehicle Quest

General Motors received quick regulatory approval of its acquisition of Cruise Automation, the three-year-old start-up that has developed a “highway autopilot” product that could accelerate GM’s quest for a fully autonomous car. Read more…

 

 

Toyota Hires Entire Staff Of Autonomous-Vehicle Firm

Toyota, looking to gain an edge in the auto industry’s race for technology talent, has recruited the staff at a small Massachusetts-based autonomous-vehicle company to work on its advanced projects. The move reflects a trend among auto industry companies, including car-hailing and other fast-growing startups, to rapidly build their research & development skills by taking over small & specialized companies. Read more…

 

 

Ford To Have Autonomous Mini Theaters For Passengers

Ford is going the extra mile with its autonomous car fleet by putting autonomous vehicle entertainment systems into its self-driving cars. Just like an in-flight movie can distract plane passengers from long, boring flights, Ford thinks movie projectors in its autonomous cars could benefit and entertain its passengers while they ride. Read more…

 
 

Baidu To Test Drive Autonomous Cars In The U.S.

The move, disclosed by Baidu’s chief scientist Andrew Ng in an interview late Tuesday, is a significant step for the company, which is trying to get ahead in the race to build autonomous cars and is now calling on the resources of its Silicon Valley tech center to advance the effort. At the same time, Baidu is advocating for better coordination with the U.S. government. Read more…

 
 

Dominos Is Trialling An Autonomous Pizza Delivery Robot

Pizza giant Domino’s has unveiled an autonomous pizza delivery robot that is being trialled in New Zealand. The vehicle’s development started in 2015 and was pushed towards commercialisation by Domino’s Australia-based skunkworks DLab. This feature has been incorporated in DRU, which according to Domino’s can dodge hurdles thanks using on-board sensors. Read more…

 

Keeping Up With Mobile Tech – Where It’s Going

, , ,

What’s happening in the world of mobile tech? Are mobile development careers revolutionizing the modern workplace? How are companies leveraging these new technologies? These are just a few of the many questions that are being asked in 2016. Here are 4 trending topics in mobile tech:

 

App Debut Will Get You Graduate Job By Playing Mobile Games

Every year soon-to-be university graduates plough through dozens of job applications in the hope that they’ll land a coveted graduate scheme. It boasts high user engagement, with over 40,000 game plays and 140,000 app sessions in the last month alone. Read more…

 

Mobile App Dev: 3 Trends That Will Shake Up Your Strategy

Industry analyst Peter Crocker outlines three emerging technology trends that will have you rethinking your organization’s mobile development strategy. Whether you’re building mobile apps for your enterprise users or for your company’s external customers, it is an iterative process. Read more…

 

The Future of Mobile Tech

Smartphone technology has advanced from luxury to the necessary in a number of years. The industry of mobile tech has boomed as a result, and 2016 is expected to see a significant increase in the number of mobile devices sold, according to technology research firm Gartner. This consistent growth of mobile tech is hardly surprising, considering it has integrated itself as a key part of our daily lives. Read more…

 

Career Roadmap: How a Mobile Developer Found His Calling

Chris Turner is now a successful mobile developer for a home automation and application development company. But his career path took some unexpected turns along the way. Read more…

Project Management Success – Everything You Need

, ,

Do you have what it takes to be a successful Project Manager? Project Management requires a particular skill-set, and you must maintain a professional education in the field. That being said, it can be highly rewarding. The median annual Project Management Manager salary is $124,372, as of January 31, 2016 (salary.com).

 

Do You Have What It Takes to be a Project Manager?

Although every project is different, each requires a planned, organized approach. Do you have what it takes to be a project manager? What personality type fits best into project management? Read more…

 
 
 

20 Things Every Project Manager Should Know

Here’s a quick, handy, up-to-date list of “must-haves” for all project managers—aspiring, novices and experienced alike. Pin it to your cork board, hang it on the fridge and send it to your colleagues. Either way, use it as both a reference and reminder of how you can be on your project management “A-game.” Read more…

 
 

Beyond 40 Hours: Continuous PM Learning

It’s really important for project managers to think of themselves as students. No matter what industry you’re in, chances are that you’re constantly facing changes—or new developments—in business, and that affects your scopes, processes, resources, and plans. One minor enhancement can change everything, and you need to keep up. Read more…

 
 

How to Maintain Your PMP Certification: Dues & PDUs

PMP-certificationOnce you’ve earned your PMP certification you should know what’s required to keep it current; that means paying dues & earning professional development units. Simple Steps to Maintain PMP Certification

 
 
 

IT Events in Metro Detroit (week of 12/14)

, , ,

IT Events in Detroit

The tech scene in Metro-Detroit is bustling with startups, meetups, user-groups and talented IT professionals. To help techies stay in the loop, Brightwing announces IT events in Metro Detroit every Monday. Such events include networking meetups, tech workshops, and informational seminars.Have an event you’d like us to promote? Contact Us.

 

Enter your email below to recieve our weekly IT Events in Detroit Newsletter!
[contact-form-7 id=”14527″ title=”IT Events Newsletter Form”]

 

Mon, December 14 – Mobile Monday – 2016 Industry Forecast

When: 6:00 pm | Where: OU INC, Smartzone Business Incubator, Rochester, MI

 

mobile monday michiganWhat happened in mobile/wireless tech in 2015, and what does the future hold for all the industries where these technologies are being utilized? As always, 2015 was an incredible year for mobile/wireless technologies and once again, Mobile Monday Detroit is presenting its annual ‘Mobile/Wireless Year in Review’.

 

Tues, December 15 – Small Business: Unlocked – Morning Mingle

When: 8:30 am | Where: Townsend Hotel – 100 Townsend St, Birmingham, MI

 

detroit regional chamberStart your day off at Morning Mingle from 8 to 10 a.m. at The Townsend Hotel in Birmingham on Tuesday, Dec. 15. You will have the opportunity to connect with fellow Chamber members while meeting new potential clients and strengthening existing business relationships.

 

Tues, December 15 – Ann Arbor New Tech Meetup

When: 6:30 pm | Where: Law School, S. Hall, Room 1225 – 701 S. State St, Ann Arbor, MI

 

ann arbor new tech meetupCome hang out with 100+ entrepreneurial tech folks, and hear pitches from the following companies. Five presenters this month take the stage for ten minutes each, five minutes to demo and five minutes to answer questions, followed by open announcements and community networking.

 

Wed, December 16 – UX Detroit Holiday Mixer

 

detroit uxHappy holidays, UXers!  Please join us on Wed., Dec. 16 to celebrate another year of great UX in the Metro Detroit area!  This event is co-organized by Detroit UX and Ladies That UX Detroit, and generously supported by Tec Ed, a user experience research and design company based in Ann Arbor.

 

Thurs, December 17 – DemoCamp Lansing

When: 5:30 pm | Where: Michigan Historical Museum – 702 W. Kalamazoo St, Lansing, MI

 

DemoCampDemoCamp Lansing is a community event for developers, designers, marketers, entrepreneurs – everyone is welcome! Programmers, entrepreneurs, and local community members get together to show off cool products, websites, and anything else they’ve built. The goal is to see new technology, meet other interesting techies, and learn about new and emerging tech.

 

Fri, December 18 – Grand Circus Community Holiday Party

When: 3:00 – 6:00 pm | Where:  1570 Woodward Ave, Floor 3, Detroit, MI

 

grand circusKick off the holiday season with Grand Circus! We invite you to join us in bringing together the Grand Circus and Detroit coworking and tech communities for a holiday party. Drinks and snacks, old friends and new friends, a photo booth, raffle, and more!

 

 

Future Events

 

Mon, February 22 – Automation Alley’s Technology Industry Outlook

When: 8:00 – 11:00 am | Where:  DIA – 5200 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI

 

automation alleyLet’s celebrate the art of innovation at Automation Alley’s signature event of the year: The Technology Industry Outlook.

 

Join hundreds from the metro Detroit technology business community as we unveil the key findings of our annual Technology Industry Report. We’ll discuss what the future holds for tech talent, jobs and innovation in metro Detroit and reveal how we compare to other nationally recognized technology hubs. This perennial sellout is Michigan’s only major event reporting on the state of Southeast Michigan’s technology economy.

 

The event will include a strolling breakfast, networking and a Technology Center Partner Spotlight, featuring cutting-edge technology demonstrations designed to educate and engage attendees in the majestic Great Hall of the DIA.

 

IT Events in Metro Detroit (week of 11/30)

, , ,

IT Events in Detroit

The tech scene in Metro-Detroit is bustling with startups, meetups, user-groups and talented IT professionals. To help techies stay in the loop, Brightwing announces IT events in Metro Detroit every Monday. Such events include networking meetups, tech workshops, and informational seminars.Have an event you’d like us to promote? Contact Us.

 

Enter your email below to recieve our weekly IT Events in Detroit Newsletter!
[contact-form-7 id=”14527″ title=”IT Events Newsletter Form”]

 

Wed, December 2 – Tech248 Holiday Event & Annual Meeting

When: 5:30 – 8:00 pm | Where: Palazzo di Bocce – 4291 S Lapeer Rd, Lake Orion, MI

 

Oakland County has 2,000 tech firms – with 42,000 jobs in the tech field – more than twice the number of any other county in Michigan. We want to get to know you all.

 

Tech248Tech 248 MeetUps are:

– Tech focused

– Inclusive of all tech companies

– Held in a variety of cool spaces within the community

– Connect youth to the tech industry

– Encourage networking and collaboration

– Provide brief (15 minute) tech updates

– Solicitation free

 

Thurs, December 3 – Windows 10 Universal Applications w/ Jeremy Smith

When: 5:30 pm | Where: Spud Software – 9478 S Saginaw Rd., Grand Blanc, MI

 

grand blanc .net user groupOn Thursday, December 3rd, Spud Software Sr. Programmer Jeremy Smith will present the basics of the Universal Windows Platform (UWP). The UWP includes all windows 10 devices:

– PC tablet

– phone

– IoT (Rasberry Pi 2, etc.)

– Xbox

– HoloLens

– Surface Hub

 

Using xaml with adaptive UX, we’ll go through a few UWP apps and see how they work.

 

Thurs, December 3 – Explore Careers in Manufacturing & Technology

When: 6:00 – 8:00 pm | Where: Macomb Community College, P bldg, 14500 E. 12 Mile, Warren, MI

 

macomb community collegeParents, guardians, students, family and friends are invited to attend this free event, part of Macomb Community Colleges Robotics, Engineering and Technology(RET) Days. Join us for an informative evening to learn about job skills that are in high demand and visit hands-on exhibits. Find out what employers look for in job candidates and discover a pathway that’s right for you. While there enter for a chance to win an iPad Mini.

 

Thurs, December 3 – Automation Alley Manufacturing Committee Meeting

When: 9:00 – 11:00 am | Where: Axis Systems – 1555 Atlantic Blvd., Auburn Hills, MI

 

automation alleyFocus areas:

– Business growth

– Workforce talent enhancement

– Best practices process collaboration

– Promoting our regional manufacturing brand

– Meets the fourth Thursday of odd months; locations and times may vary.

– This committee is limited to manufacturing and engineering companies only.

 

Our member-driven committees provide opportunities for networking and peer leadership as well as a chance to influence the development of our events and programs. Committee members can contribute through project teams or serve in leadership roles as committee chairs, vice committee chairs or project team chairs.

 

Thurs, December 3 – How to Build a Successful Mobile App, For Entrepenuers

When: 7:30 am – 1:00 pm | Where: Automation Alley – 2675 Bellingham Drive, Troy, MI

 

mtamThe workshop will educate attendees on:

– Developer basics; understanding app developers and how to work with them to get what you want

– Creating a value proposition

– Defining app functionalities you want to be part of your app

– Setting priorities and understanding your MVP (Minimum Viable Product)

– Learn to wire-frame your concept

 

The Mobile Technology Association of Michigan (MTAM) is a trade association for the mobile industry, including: carriers, manufacturers, hardware developers, software developers, wireless system installers, tower manufacturers/installers, mobile marketing vendors, advertisers, graphic designers, users of the technology, and anyone else interested in Mobile.

 

Mon, December 7 – Augmented Reality in Vehicles

When: 5:00 – 9:00 pm | Where: Dassault Systèmes – 400 W. Fourth Street, 4th Floor, Royal Oak, MI

 

AR detroitThe theme of our meeting will be “AR in Cars and Motorcycles.” Brian Wassom will present on AR.org’s “Augmented Driving Initiative,” which he will be representing during the month of October at meetings in Germany and Washington., D.C. Learn about what industry and researchers are saying about what’s safe and effective–and what’s not.

 

And then, as always, there will be time for demos and participation from the whole group!

 

IT Events in Metro Detroit (week of 11/16)

, , ,

IT Events in Detroit

The tech scene in Metro-Detroit is bustling with startups, meetups, user-groups and talented IT professionals. To help techies stay in the loop, Brightwing announces IT events in Metro Detroit every Monday. Such events include networking meetups, tech workshops, and informational seminars.Have an event you’d like us to promote? Contact Us.

 

Enter your email below to recieve our weekly IT Events in Detroit Newsletter!
[contact-form-7 id=”14527″ title=”IT Events Newsletter Form”]

 

Mon, November 16 – ESD Engineering & Technology Job Fair

When: 2:00 – 7:00 pm | Where: Suburban Collection Showplace – 46100 Grand River, Novi, MI

 

esdWhether you’re a seasoned professional, a recent graduate or an in-between careers job seeker, you’ll find your next position at The Engineering Society of Detroit (ESD) Engineering and Technology Job Fair.  The ESD job fair is your best opportunity to meet one-on-one with representatives from leading engineering and technology companies.

 

November 16 – November 17 – Automotive Tech.AD Detroit

When: Times Vary | Where: The Henry – 300 Town Center Drive, Dearborn, MI

 

automotive tech.ad detroitThe annual industry show Automotive Tech.AD Detroit is the leading North American we.CONECT forum on Autonomous Driving. With a combination of inspirational expert keynotes and well moderated, interactive world café sessions, private discussion rounds and networking sessions you enter a whole new conference experience – value-added guaranteed.

 

Join the conversations in over 2 days of knowledge exchange, evaluate latest trends and tasks in vehicle automation and ensure your share in the growing and promising market around the US.

 

Tues, November 17 – Intro to IOS Programming & Some Live TDD

When: 7:00 – 9:00 pm | Where: Grand Circus Detroit – 1570 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI

 

craftsman guild DetroitIt seems like every month, Apple’s releasing a new platform, device, language, or compiler. We’re up to four platforms—OS X, iOS, watchOS, and tvOS—and billions of devices sold worldwide. These platforms all build on 30+ years of technology dating back to NeXTSTEP, of all things. In this talk, let’s take a tour of what it takes to build apps for these platforms, how to share your code between them, and what benefits and tradeoffs there are in each of these platforms.

 

Wed, November 18 – Women in STEM: Speed Networking

When: 6:30 pm | Where: Bamboo Detroit, Detroit MI

 

women risingAre you a woman in a Science, Technology,Engineering, or Math field? Do you support STEM educational opportunities to empower young women? If so you need to be at this event! You have heard of Speed Dating but what about speed networking? You will be at a table with four other women for ten minutes while you introduce yourself and share your interests. You can exchange business cards and contact information. We will provide questions too keep the conversation going. You are guaranteed to meet people! No sitting around akwardly if you don’t like to walk up to a group of people! There will also be a presentation from STEM Girl Social Network and Women’s Rising to see how you can get involved with these important inititiaves. See how you can get involved  with brining science and technology education to girls in the Detroit area.

 

Thurs, November 19 – Intro to Drupal with Michigan Drupal

When: 6:30 pm | Where: Grand Circus Detroit – 1570 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI

 

GDIWe’re teaming up with the Michigan Drupal group to bring you an introductory training in Drupal! Drupal is the CMS behind some huge websites, including whitehouse.gov, economist.com, and more. We’ll be learning the basics with Hillary Lewandowski of Commercial Progression.

 

Thurs, November 19 – Crain’s 2015 40 Under 40s

When: 5:00 – 9:00 pm | Where: Marriott Renaissance Center – 400 Renaissance Drive, Detroit, MI

 

CrainsDetroitBizSince 1991, Crain’s has gathered 40 of the community’s overachievers for a special salute. The winners have started companies, found success at a young age, established businesses and made nonprofits stronger. The event will bring together the current class at the Marriott Renaissance Center along with colleagues, clients, family and friends to celebrate this achievement.

 

Thurs, November 19 – IT in the D Casual Networking Event

When: 5:00 pm | Where: BlackFinn Restaurant – 530 South Main St., Royal Oak, MI

 

it in the dCasual Networking Social for Information Technology Professionals in metro Detroit – So, you know the drill: No agenda. No speakers. No 30-second commercials. No cover charge. No free lunch. Never. Just networking with IT professionals. Plain and simple

 

IT Events in Metro Detroit (week of 11/9)

, , ,

IT Events in Detroit

The tech scene in Metro-Detroit is bustling with startups, meetups, user-groups and talented IT professionals. To help techies stay in the loop, Brightwing announces IT events in Metro Detroit every Monday. Such events include networking meetups, tech workshops, and informational seminars.Have an event you’d like us to promote? Contact Us.

 

Enter your email below to recieve our weekly IT Events in Detroit Newsletter!
[contact-form-7 id=”14527″ title=”IT Events Newsletter Form”]

 

Mon, November 9 – Mobile Web/App Performance Testing & Monitoring

When: 6:00 pm | Where: OU INC Smartzone Business Incubator – Golfview Ln, Rochester, MI

 

Humans now have an attention span shorter than a goldfish – 8 seconds to be precise. About a decade ago, 6 seconds was the gold standard in application response time, today its between 2 – 3 seconds.

 

mobile monday michiganWhen it comes to Mobile Apps and Website Performance, it’s getting more critical than ever to pay attention to the way that end-user engagement is impacted by performance. Here are some key stats to look at:

– 86% of the users will delete the slow responding App after using it the first time

– 74% of users will leave the page if it does not load within 5 seconds

– 81% of buyers will pay more for a better experience

 

Mobile Monday is an international organization that works with local, regional, national and global mobile industry visionaries and developers fostering cooperation and cross-company business development through virtual and live networking events to facilitate idea sharing, best practices development, trends identification, and Mobile Industry growth locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally.

 

Tues, November 10 – Kart 2 Kart & Networking with SAE

When: 6:00 – 9:00 pm | Where: 42705 Van Dyke, Sterling Heights, MI

 

SAE DetroitGuests will have the opportunity to test their racing skills in Kart 2 Kart’s high performance racing karts while meeting and networking with fellow SAE members and guests.

 

The fundamental purpose of SAE Detroit Section is to generate local activities that extend SAE benefits to members in their area. To achieve this, vehicle events are presented each year as well as various technical meetings, tours and social events.

 

Tues, November 10 – 2015 OESA Annual Conference

When: 8:00 am start | Where: COBO Center, Detroit, MI

 

OESAThe 2015 OESA Annual Conference, “Are You Driving… Being Driven?” is Nov. 10, 2015, at COBO Center, Detroit, Mich. The agenda for this year’s supplier-centric event will explore what’s driving tomorrow’s automotive industry and the role OE suppliers will play in the new landscape. More than 700 executives are expected to attend. CLICK HERE for the current roster of registrants.

 

Wed, November 11 – Ann Arbor .NET – See Like the Predator by Hacking

When: 6:30 pm | Where: The Forge – 301 E. Liberty St. Suite 700, Ann Arbor, MI

 

ann arbor .net developersJust a few years ago, Thermal camera would cost 5-10 thousand dollars. Now for only $199, you can get one for your smartphone from Seek Thermal. In this session, see what you can do this camera. Using C#, you will be shown how to ‘Hack’ the camera so you can get the images on your PC, and perform your own image filters.

 

November 11 – November 13 – Autonomous Trucks 2015

When: Times Vary | Where: Crowne Plaza Detroit Downtown Riverfront, Detroit, MI

 

autonomous trucksIn an environment of growing safety concerns, decreasing driver resources, increasing infrastructure congestion, and rising costs, it has become more important than ever that the commercial vehicle industry find new ways to innovate

 

While the autonomous truck has been defined as the way forward to achieve these outcomes, the technology is still far from flawless and not ready for full implementation. There are a variety of critical challenges ranging from software capabilities to hardware competencies and onto strategic planning inhibitors preventing this technology from complete adoption.

 

Thurs, November 12 – World Usability Day Detroit 2015

When: 6:00 – 8:30 pm | Where: Renaissance Center – 200 Renaissance Drive, Detroit, MI

 

detroit uxJoin us for World Usability Day, an annual event held around the world the second Thursday of November. It’s an inclusive event, bringing people together to learn about and discuss how usability affects our daily lives in the services and products we use.

 

This year’s theme for World Usability Day is innovation. Innovation in user experience means that people can do what they need and want to – with products, services, and technology that enhance their experience.

 

Sat, November 14 – DetroitDevDay

When: Times Vary | Where: Cobo Center – 1 Washington Boulevard, Detroit, MI

 

detroitdevday 2015DetroitDevDay is a chance to sharpen your saw as a software developer. It’s a chance to take a day away from the daily work of creating code to hear about ways to build software that’s better, more reliable and generally something you can be proud to give to your customer.

 

We’re not really trying to help with soft skills. That’s not because soft skills are not important (they are very important); it’s because there are already excellent conferences around that are aimed at helping people to improve their soft skills.

 

 

Sat, November 14 – Girl Develop IT – Intro to JavaScript

When: 1:00 pm | Where: Grand Circus – 1570 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI

 

GDIJavaScript is the language of interactivity on the web. If you want to learn programming, JavaScript is a pretty good place to start!

 

Over the course of this session we will explore the basics of programming in JavaScript, then learn some of the wide variety of modern, dynamic, and fun things you can do with it!

 

 

Future Tech Events

 

November 16 – November 17 – Automotive Tech.AD Detroit

When: Times Vary | Where: The Henry – 300 Town Center Drive, Dearborn, MI

 

automotive tech.ad detroitThe annual industry show Automotive Tech.AD Detroit is the leading North American we.CONECT forum on Autonomous Driving. With a combination of inspirational expert keynotes and well moderated, interactive world café sessions, private discussion rounds and networking sessions you enter a whole new conference experience – value-added guaranteed.

 

Join the conversations in over 2 days of knowledge exchange, evaluate latest trends and tasks in vehicle automation and ensure your share in the growing and promising market around the US.

 

Wed, November 18 – Women in STEM: Speed Networking

When: 6:30 pm | Where: Bamboo Detroit, Detroit MI

 

women risingAre you a woman in a Science, Technology,Engineering, or Math field? Do you support STEM educational opportunities to empower young women? If so you need to be at this event! You have heard of Speed Dating but what about speed networking? You will be at a table with four other women for ten minutes while you introduce yourself and share your interests. You can exchange business cards and contact information. We will provide questions too keep the conversation going. You are guaranteed to meet people! No sitting around akwardly if you don’t like to walk up to a group of people! There will also be a presentation from STEM Girl Social Network and Women’s Rising to see how you can get involved with these important inititiaves. See how you can get involved  with brining science and technology education to girls in the Detroit area.

IT Events in Metro Detroit (week of 11/2)

, , ,

IT Events in Detroit

The tech scene in Metro-Detroit is bustling with startups, meetups, user-groups and talented IT professionals. To help techies stay in the loop, Brightwing announces IT events in Metro Detroit every Monday. Such events include networking meetups, tech workshops, and informational seminars.Have an event you’d like us to promote? Contact Us.

 

Enter your email below to recieve our weekly IT Events in Detroit Newsletter!
[contact-form-7 id=”14527″ title=”IT Events Newsletter Form”]

 

Tues, November 3 – Meet & Talk Technology

When: 6:30 pm | Where: Pages – 23621 Farmington Rd, Farmington, MI

 

innovate farmingtonWe will have two to four presenters showing off newer technologies in short presentations. This month: 3D printing and Trello!

 

The Innovate Farmington meet up is open to everyone interested in the technology and business space (e.g. entrepreneurs, technologists, investors, marketers, students etc.). Our goal is to create a community of interest in tech entrepreneurship by studying the implementation of innovative products and services.

 

November 4 – November 5 – North American modeFRONTIER Users Meeting

When: 9:00 am start | Where: Sheraton – 21111 Haggerty Rd, Novi, MI

 

um15The gathering of enthusiasts modeFRONTIER Provides a unique forum for sharing knowledge and learning about the latest applications, methods and techniques used to advance product innovation through simulation and design optimization.

 

Every two years, the event hosts Opinions more than 100 attendees and 10 speakers presenting cases from important industrial companies such as Ford, Toyota, Bombardier, MMI Engineering, AES and Whirlpool

 

November 4 – November 5 – DASH Conference

When: 1:00 pm start | Where: Westin Detroit Metro Airport – 2501 Worldgateway Pl, Detroit, MI

 

DASH conference 2015When was the last time you had an opportunity to sit down with broadcasters, car companies, automotive suppliers, streaming radio providers, advertising agencies, aftermarket suppliers, and car dealers to think about how today’s rapidly evolving automotive platforms impact your business?

 

DASH is a can’t-miss opportunity to get informed and brainstorm with a diverse group of colleagues about the issues that matter: What are consumers actually doing with these new systems? What’s coming next? How do our business models need to change?

 

Thurs, November 5 – Business “After 5”

When: 5:30 – 7:30 pm | Where: Freddy’s Bar & Grill – 40000 Garfield Twp, MI

 

sterling heights commerceJoin the Sterling Heights Regional Chamber for their business after hours “After 5” on Thursday November 5. Hosted by Freddy’s Bar & Grill (40000 Garfield) Clinton Township. Meet and network and build relationships with fellow entrepreneurs  and buisness professionals in a relaxred, social atmosphere. Enjoy complimentary appetizers and soft drinks with a cash bar.  Bring plenty of business cards.  Pre-registering appreciated for accommodations. Call (586) 731-5400 ext. 11.

 

Thurs, November 5 – Girl Develop IT Detroit 3-Year Anniversary Party

When: 6:30 – 9:30 pm | Where: Grand Circus – 1570 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI

 

GDITime flies! It’s already time to celebrate 3 amazing years of learning, sharing, and community with Girl Develop It Detroit! More details about the party to come, but expect: refreshments, swag, & fun! 🙂

 

Over the last 3 years, Girl Develop IT Detroit has:

– Hosted over 100 coding classes and events throughout Metro Detroit

– Grown to over 2,000 amazing members (!!!)

– Partnered with numerous amazing organizations that are working to make tech education accessible to Detroiters of all ages

 

Sat, November 7 – Code & Coffee

When: 10:00 am – 1:00 pm | Where: Great Lakes Coffee Roasting Company, Detroit, MI

 

GDICode & Coffee is a monthly opportunity for you to practice your skills, meet new friends, and get help if you need it. Bring your laptop, your recent projects, and your programming problems!

 

All are welcome regardless of gender or skill level, whether or not you’ve attended past Girl Develop It events. If you’re a beginner, we’ll be right there to help you work through your questions as needed.

 

 

Future Tech Events

 

Mon, November 9 – Mobile Web/App Performance Testing & Monitoring

When: 6:00 pm | Where: OU INC Smartzone Business Incubator – Golfview Ln, Rochester, MI

 

Humans now have an attention span shorter than a goldfish – 8 seconds to be precise. About a decade ago, 6 seconds was the gold standard in application response time, today its between 2 – 3 seconds.

 

mobile monday michiganWhen it comes to Mobile Apps and Website Performance, it’s getting more critical than ever to pay attention to the way that end-user engagement is impacted by performance. Here are some key stats to look at:

– 86% of the users will delete the slow responding App after using it the first time

– 74% of users will leave the page if it does not load within 5 seconds

– 81% of buyers will pay more for a better experience

 

Mobile Monday is an international organization that works with local, regional, national and global mobile industry visionaries and developers fostering cooperation and cross-company business development through virtual and live networking events to facilitate idea sharing, best practices development, trends identification, and Mobile Industry growth locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally.

 

Tues, November 10 – Kart 2 Kart & Networking with SAE

When: 6:00 – 9:00 pm | Where: 42705 Van Dyke, Sterling Heights, MI

 

SAE DetroitGuests will have the opportunity to test their racing skills in Kart 2 Kart’s high performance racing karts while meeting and networking with fellow SAE members and guests.

 

The fundamental purpose of SAE Detroit Section is to generate local activities that extend SAE benefits to members in their area. To achieve this, vehicle events are presented each year as well as various technical meetings, tours and social events.

 

November 11 – November 13 – Autonomous Trucks 2015

When: Times Vary | Where: Crowne Plaza Detroit Downtown Riverfront, Detroit, MI

 

autonomous trucksIn an environment of growing safety concerns, decreasing driver resources, increasing infrastructure congestion, and rising costs, it has become more important than ever that the commercial vehicle industry find new ways to innovate

 

While the autonomous truck has been defined as the way forward to achieve these outcomes, the technology is still far from flawless and not ready for full implementation. There are a variety of critical challenges ranging from software capabilities to hardware competencies and onto strategic planning inhibitors preventing this technology from complete adoption.

 

Sat, November 14 – DetroitDevDay

When: Times Vary | Where: Cobo Center – 1 Washington Boulevard, Detroit, MI

 

detroitdevday 2015DetroitDevDay is a chance to sharpen your saw as a software developer. It’s a chance to take a day away from the daily work of creating code to hear about ways to build software that’s better, more reliable and generally something you can be proud to give to your customer.

 

We’re not really trying to help with soft skills. That’s not because soft skills are not important (they are very important); it’s because there are already excellent conferences around that are aimed at helping people to improve their soft skills.

 

 

November 16 – November 17 – Automotive Tech.AD Detroit

When: Times Vary | Where: The Henry – 300 Town Center Drive, Dearborn, MI

 

automotive tech.ad detroitThe annual industry show Automotive Tech.AD Detroit is the leading North American we.CONECT forum on Autonomous Driving. With a combination of inspirational expert keynotes and well moderated, interactive world café sessions, private discussion rounds and networking sessions you enter a whole new conference experience – value-added guaranteed.

 

Join the conversations in over 2 days of knowledge exchange, evaluate latest trends and tasks in vehicle automation and ensure your share in the growing and promising market around the US.

IT Events in Metro Detroit (week of 10/26)

, , ,

IT Events in Detroit

The tech scene in Metro-Detroit is bustling with startups, meetups, user-groups and talented IT professionals. To help techies stay in the loop, Brightwing announces IT events in Metro Detroit every Monday. Such events include networking meetups, tech workshops, and informational seminars.Have an event you’d like us to promote? Contact Us.

 

Enter your email below to recieve our weekly IT Events in Detroit Newsletter!
[contact-form-7 id=”14527″ title=”IT Events Newsletter Form”]

 

Mon, October 26 – Michigan Agile Enthusiast Group

When: 6:00 pm | Where: Bastone Brewery – 419 S Main St, Royal Oak, MI

 

michigan agileThis group is all about creating a community of trust to grow, promote, and improve agile software development in the State of Michigan.

• Half-Hour Mingle/Networking

• Attendee Self-Introductions

• Food & Drinks

• Lightning Talks

• Discussion/Presentation from the Backlog

 

October 26 – 27 – 2015 Midwest Fall Technology Conference

When: TBA | Where: Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center – 400 Renaissance Drive, Detroit, MI

 

2015 midwest fall technology conferenceDuring last year’s conference, almost 700 attendees joined the Midwest Fall Technology Conference (MFTC).  We invite you and your colleagues who are interested in participating in education sessions, learning about new technologies and networking with industry professionals as well as students, join us for this year’s event.

 

Tues, October 27 – ThermoAnalytics UGM 2015

When: 9:00 am – 4:00 pm | Where: Sheraton – 21111 Haggerty Rd, Novi, MI

 

ThermoAnalytics UGMThermoAnalytics’ 2015 North American User Group Meeting is our premier customer driven event.  By the very nature of its format, it is designed to encourage simulation creativity and inspire users to understand what is possible with TAITherm and MuSES.  Attending this free event will give customers direct access to our users (from basic to advanced), and offers an opportunity to learn from peers in related fields.

 

October 27 – October 28 – Transmission & Driveline Technologies Symposium

When: Times Vary | Where: The Inn at St. Johns – 44045 5 Mile Rd, Plymouth, MI

 

SAE DetroitThe SAE 2015 Transmission and Driveline Symposium is a two-day, content rich program focused on noteworthy developments in transmission and drivetrain systems. Attendees will hear presentations from leading industry experts, and discover evolving transmission technologies.

 

The 2015 program will explore the following technologies and more:

• Reciprocity Combustion Techniques
• Powertrain Controls
• Modeling and Simulation
• Noise Control
• Fuels, Fluids, and Lubricants
• Axels and Clutches
• Differential Gears
• Drive Shafts
• Launch Devices

 

Wed, October 28 – Huge: Detroit – Let’s Hang

When: 7:00 pm | Where: Wright & Co – 1500 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI

 

HUGEHuge is a digital design, technology, and marketing agency full of people who care deeply about the things we make. We’re opening an office in Detroit and want to meet the locals. Come hang out with people from our experience design, strategy, and client teams. We’re buying! (And hiring)

 

As the industry’s first user-centric design agency, Huge has always been guided by a relentless focus on designing for user needs. Based in Brooklyn, we have offices around the world, and Detroit will be our newest. Huge Detroit will host happy hours and events for creatives in the city.

 

Thurs, October 28 – AngularJS – Lightning Talks & Ping Pong

When: 7:00 – 9:00 pm | Where: Ambassador – 301 W 4th Street, Suite 301, Royal Oak, MI

 

ng - detroitA group for AngularJS developers.

• 7:00-7:30 Mingle

• 7:30-7:40 Huddle

• 7:40-8 Lightning talks

• 8-8:30 Activity – Ping pong ranking app

• 8:30-9 Keynote/talks – migrating from 1 to 2

 

Thurs, October 29 – Women’s Resume & LinkedIn Workshop

When: 5:30 – 7:00 pm | Where: Grand Circus – 1570 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI

 

grand_circusWith the guidance and expertise of women professionals, we’ll spend the night revising each others resumes, reviewing LinkedIn profiles and discussing how to use social media professionally. We’ll also have an informal discussion about entry level tech careers and how different folks have made that career transition.

 

Grand Circus is a proud downtown Detroit company, and we’re passionate about bridging the gap between Detroiters and the businesses here who want to hire great people. The way we do that is through intensive bootcamps that teach people the skills they need to be extremely valuable to local technology companies.

 

 

Future Tech Events

 

November 4 – November 5 – North American modeFRONTIER Users Meeting

When: 9:00 am start | Where: Sheraton – 21111 Haggerty Rd, Novi, MI

 

um15The gathering of enthusiasts modeFRONTIER Provides a unique forum for sharing knowledge and learning about the latest applications, methods and techniques used to advance product innovation through simulation and design optimization.

 

Every two years, the event hosts Opinions more than 100 attendees and 10 speakers presenting cases from important industrial companies such as Ford, Toyota, Bombardier, MMI Engineering, AES and Whirlpool

 

November 4 – November 5 – DASH Conference

When: 1:00 pm start | Where: Westin Detroit Metro Airport – 2501 Worldgateway Pl, Detroit, MI

 

DASH conference 2015When was the last time you had an opportunity to sit down with broadcasters, car companies, automotive suppliers, streaming radio providers, advertising agencies, aftermarket suppliers, and car dealers to think about how today’s rapidly evolving automotive platforms impact your business?

 

DASH is a can’t-miss opportunity to get informed and brainstorm with a diverse group of colleagues about the issues that matter: What are consumers actually doing with these new systems? What’s coming next? How do our business models need to change?

 

November 11 – November 13 – Autonomous Trucks 2015

When: Times Vary | Where: Crowne Plaza Detroit Downtown Riverfront, Detroit, MI

 

autonomous trucksIn an environment of growing safety concerns, decreasing driver resources, increasing infrastructure congestion, and rising costs, it has become more important than ever that the commercial vehicle industry find new ways to innovate

 

While the autonomous truck has been defined as the way forward to achieve these outcomes, the technology is still far from flawless and not ready for full implementation. There are a variety of critical challenges ranging from software capabilities to hardware competencies and onto strategic planning inhibitors preventing this technology from complete adoption.

 

Sat, November 14 – DetroitDevDay

When: Times Vary | Where: Cobo Center – 1 Washington Boulevard, Detroit, MI

 

detroitdevday 2015DetroitDevDay is a chance to sharpen your saw as a software developer. It’s a chance to take a day away from the daily work of creating code to hear about ways to build software that’s better, more reliable and generally something you can be proud to give to your customer.

 

We’re not really trying to help with soft skills. That’s not because soft skills are not important (they are very important); it’s because there are already excellent conferences around that are aimed at helping people to improve their soft skills.