What your tech stack should be like when looking for a job

Are you on your way to becoming a world-class talent? Or are you still a junior trying to find your path? We’ve created a brief list of the most desired skills tech recruiters are looking for when sourcing foreign applicants and we’d like to tell you which qualities you should foster to stand out from your competition. Now it’s time to know your tech stack.

Sometimes it’s a matter of being found, rather than searching for a new job. But to draw in the best career opportunities, besides structuring your CV and résumé, there are some things you can do to bulk up your employability. For example: if you’re still new to the software development business, try some projects from Coderbyte, Free Codecamp, HackerRank, or 100 days of code to build a nice portfolio.

Tech stack + basic skills and knowledge

To bulk up your job search, we thought it would be better to list some general-purpose programming languages and stacks technical recruiters seek. Check them out:

Frontend

• Proficient use of CSS, HTML, JavaScript, and jQuery.
• Experience with graphic design software like Adobe Illustrator or InDesign.
• Solid understanding of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and User Experience (UX) best practices.

Backend

• Solid knowledge of programming languages and tech stacks with Java, JavaScript, Python, Node.js or PHP.
• Comfort in using MongoDB, MySQL or Postgres databases.

Quality Analysts

• Basic knowledge of coding languages such as Java, PHP or Python.
• Familiarity with Behavior Driven Development (BDD) and/or Test Driven Development (TDD).
• Experience with test management software like Hiptest, qTest, Zephyr and so on.

DevOps

• Strong knowledge of coding languages such as Java, PHP or Python.
• Previous work with continuous integration (CI), delivery (CD), and deployment.
• Well-versed in unit, integration, and feature tests with Cucumber, Codeception, Mocha, and Selenium WD.

Here you find a full list of tech skills required in computer program or app development during applicant vetting for IT jobs.

Technical quality

Microservices, Docker, block chain… there are so many new terms and practices being launched every day, it can seem difficult to stay up to speed with the latest trends and requirements. Your tech stack is always growing. Tech recruiters, engineering and squad teams know this, so they look for more than a checklist: they search for potential.

• Advocacy and community: Are you a member of online groups and dev communities? Taking part in meetups, being active on GitHub and StackOverflow and other similar endeavors say to tech recruiters that not only are you willing to share knowledge, but also able to provide a relevant network to the company.
• Code cleanliness: When looking for product-based work, the VP of Engineering, CTO or other equivalent is looking for robustness. If there is good readability, documentation becomes almost redundant. When your code is clear as a bell, it shows you are committed to the product for the long run, enabling others to also pick up quickly and continue to evolve it.
  
  
• Solid frameworks: AngularJS, React, ExpressJS and Django are frequently used by Ubiminds’ clients. Check this list to know how you pair up to market demands.
• Tech agnosticism: Everyone has preferences and specialties, but you may be required to evolve with the product you’re developing. Willingness to learn and evolve alongside the product you’re working on is strongly valued by employers.

Update LinkedIn, build a personal portfolio. And keep practicing for when those interviews come!

What if I want to work for Google?

Good for you, looking at those big names. You should know that when it comes to tech positions, “the most desired languages by Google in North America are C# and Objective-C. 

As for the differences, about 10% of the vacancies in the USA and Canada demand knowledge of Swift or Perl, while 22% of the positions are for those who know SQL. If you opt for working with data, knowledge of Hadoop and MapReduce is strongly recommended”. They say so themselves. 

But there are other languages and tech stacks you should be looking at. Other popular programming languages searched by companies are JavaScript, Java, Python and (yes, still) PHP. Typescript, Go and Kotlin are also growing in popularity amongst developers and should be on your radar for the near future.

Work culture

Granted, technical skill might be hard to come by, but personality traits are far slower to evolve. That is why it is important to explain your posture towards work and help hiring managers and recruiters anticipate your behaviors regarding company policies, team structure, and daily rituals.

• Lone wolf, squads or fixed-structure teams? It’s pretty normal for tech experts to have side projects or freelance from time to time, but are you ready to work in a team? No knowledge in the world makes up for bad people skills.

• Distributed or remote before? Working away from the main office means the company needs to rely on your ability to organize and prioritize, as well as good communication skills. If you have done it before, flaunt it.

• Product or project-based? When a company chooses Ubiminds, it’s because there are mid-to-long-term goals in place. If you want to become one of our own, be willing to be here for the long run. 

• Waterfall, Lean, Agile or Go-horse? There are several Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) methodologies out there, and whoever is doing the recruiting is probably wondering how and if you will adapt to whatever one they use. 

More than experience, though, don’t forget to show your drive and excitement towards the work model used by your potential employer. It’s the reason why should improve your tech stack.

Accountability

Especially if you end up in one of the growing numbers of distributed teams, presenting yourself as a reliable professional is strictly necessary. Recommendations from former colleagues are precious, but there are other ways to show how responsible and self-manageable you can be. Tech recruiters look for specific signals that you might just want to put out there:

• Self-learning: We’ve mentioned it before, and will say it again. Employers are looking for problem-solvers, and if you’re able to show you’ve done your fair share of online courses and research, let it be known. People who try to improve themselves instead of getting stuck are extremely valuable.

• Test-driven development: If you’re not acquainted with Behavior Driven Development (BDD) and/or Test Driven Development (TDD), you better.

There’s more to it, though. Beyond improving your employability, and your tech stack, you should also consider whether any positions (and companies) that come up are truly able to satisfy your personal and professional needs. Check out our article on how to pick an employer and make the most of your career path.

Need more tips? Check the video below.

Want to reach us directly? Book a quick chat!

Scheila Farias Silveira

International Marketing Leader, specialized in tech. Proud to have built marketing and business generation structures for some of the fastest-growing SaaS companies on both sides of the Atlantic (UK, DACH, Iberia, LatAm, and NorthAm). Big fan of motherhood, world music, marketing, and backpacking. A little bit nerdy too!