How to Score an Entry-Level Software Engineering Job, According to an Agilent Hiring Manager

How to Score an Entry-Level Software Engineering Job, According to an Agilent Hiring ManagerHow to Score an Entry-Level Software Engineering Job, According to an Agilent Hiring Manager With roughly 145,000 open jobs on Glassdoor, a median salary of $104,463 and a number 11 position on Glassdoors Best Jobs in America list, theres no denying that Software Engineer is one of the hottest job titles out there. But just because the job is in high demand doesnt mean youre guaranteed a job. With a position as important as this, companies arent just going to hire anybody. Before they extend an offer, companies want to make sure that candidates have the hard skills, soft skills, personal qualities and values necessary to thrive at the company and in their role. To learn exactly what recruiters and hiring managers are looking for, we chatted with Dennis Episkopos, Senior R&D Director of Software and Informatics at Agilent . In our conversation, he shared some of his best ca reer tips for engineers just beginning their careers, what he looks for in candidates and what makes his company unique.Dennis Episkopos Within the software and informatics division, I set the strategy to create solutions that help our customers be more efficient, effective and profitable. I also enjoy coaching people and creating high-performing teams, an especially rewarding focus of my position. There is no better way to develop state-of-the-art products than with a highly dedicated team working together for the benefit of our customers.Dennis Episkopos In addition to a solid education and mastery of relevant skills , I look for a candidate who is eager to learn new things, who enjoys the challenge of solving complex problems and who can bring different perspectives and background to the team. And personally, I also look for a good sense of humorDennis Episkopos I used to look for culture fit - someone who would fit right in and ramp quickly. What I learned is that when yo u hire for fit, you get people who think the same way you do. In todays fast-paced world, adding to our culture means finding candidates who can embrace our values, yet bring new ideas, thinking and ways of doing things. A wider variety of perspectives leads to better outcomes - a cohesive team with diverse perspectives and inclusion means not only great results, but it also reinforces Agilent as a great place to work.Dennis Episkopos Agilent helps our customers make the world a better place. We produce instruments, applications, services, consumables and expertise used in labs, clinics and organizations. Labs around the world are supported by Agilent to research and diagnose cancer, develop and test pharmaceutical drugs, ensure safer food, improve quality in manufacturing and test the environment - and thats just a few examples. We have a strong culture of innovation, and talented employees who make amazing things happen every dayDennis Episkopos I may be biased, but I belie ve that software engineering is an ever-evolving job where employees can learn something new every day. People dont always realize how creative and collaborative the software-development process is. It is almost by definition innovative, since you create new functionality that didnt exist before. And it is always a team effort.Dennis Episkopos At Agilent, youll be using the latest and greatest technologies everything from cloud and mobile applications to the latest in advanced scientific hardware. We also offer unique challenges and great growth opportunities. For example, you might start off your career as a software engineer in Silicon Valley, later help us create a new product in Australia and end up managing a sales team in Spain. At Agilent, no two days are ever the same.We also offer a flexible work environment. Our employees can work from home and choose flexible hours, and we even provide up to four paid hours per month for you to volunteer with your favorite charity. An d, of course, we offer an impressive set of incentives and benefits .Dennis Episkopos My one recommendation is that engineers who are starting out in their careers pay attention to what they enjoy doing, and what they like learning about, so they come to understand their passions. I t will be the things they voluntarily spend time on inventing, designing, building, maintaining, researching and improving devices, systems, materials or processes. Passion accelerates your abilities, and doing work that you enjoy inspires innovative and progressive ideas.Agilent is hiring like crazy Software Engineers - join them online on Monday, July 30th, during their virtual career fair. Chat with recruiters and hiring leaders from the comfort of your own home between 12 3 pm PST and discover careers with Agilent. Register here .

4 Career-Changing Benefits of a Personalized Domain

4 Career-Changing Benefits of a Personalized Domain 4 Career-Changing Benefits of a Personalized Domain Looking for a job? Good news 2016 is the first time since the 2008 financial crisis that unemployment has dipped and remained below 5 percent. But with countless applicants flooding desirable openings, how can you grab top recruiters attention?Plastering your name on a billboard across the street from your dream employer wouldnt be cost-effective (though you would certainly stand out), and calling everyone in the company is mora likely to get you blacklisted than hired. You could engage in some more extreme job seeking by trying thewildly unique solutions others have come up with, from turning your resume into a wanted posterto creating an official Amazon page for yourself.But not everyone has the skills to dazzle with design. As CMO for the registry operator of a new domain extension (.CLUB), I can suggest a simpler way to get noticed a personal domain name.How a Personal Doma in Unlocks DoorsThese days, HR professionals are going to stalk I mean, Google you before making a hiring decision. This is a big reason why71 percent of surveyed job seekers say having a website is important to building a personal brand, and a smart domain name will make that website even more effective. Whats on the first page of search results for your name? What does an employer think when seeing your schmelzglas address?A unique and customized domain name for your personal website offers a great way to stand out from competitors submitting traditional paper resumes. Its an adjunct method of presenting yourself as a creative, cutting-edge innovator in the digital age.Done right, a personal domain boosts your digital presence in four ways, helping you1. Exude ProfessionalismYour personal domain is a banner proclaiming your professionalism. Do you think best-selling author Seth Godins blog would have become so popular if it were located at catlover323.com?If youre lucky, your ow n name may still be available as a .com domain. If it has been taken, consider using an alternative extension to add flair and meaning to your name in a web address. You can create a unique extension with your name, as WordPress cofounder Matt Mullenweg did for his personal website, ma.tt.Even if you dont build a flashy website, a personalized email address like firstnamelastname.com makes a great first impression. Your first communication with potential employers will likely be via email, so an address like lovestoparty451gmail.com is a one-way ticket to the trash folder. Luckily, new extensions such as .accountant, .photography, or .design can say a lot about who you are and what you do, and they can personalize your email address and domain name even further.2. Control the NarrativeDoes your digital presence say competent professional, or is it a bunch of selfies from your college days? While embarrassing photos remain on the web forever, a website with a personal domain can en sure they arent first-page Google results.A personal domain influences how people find you on the internet. Using common search engine optimization strategies, you can rocket your professional website to the top of the search results. Consequently, when you control your domain, you minimize the risk of searchers stumbling across content that casts you in a less-than-stellar light.3. Consolidate Your ExperiencesIn todays gig economy, many people work on a contract basis, so a new project equals a new email address. The resulting inbox graveyard buries opportunities and annoys business contacts who have been emailing old addresses.As far back as 2002, folks were registering for personal domains to use when signing up for social sites. Today, you have more choices than ever to find the right domain for yourself. Even if youre not a temporary worker, you probably wont work for one company your entire life. Think of a personal domain as a long-term career investment.4. Direct Traffic Fro m You Back to YourselfAlthough author Joshua Fields Millburn has built a strong presence on The Minimalists, he uses his personal domain to direct visitors to places he can be found online. And while musician Matisyahu is active on Dreampatron, he also promotes www.Matisyahu.club. Its an easy-to-remember web-adresse that drives traffic to his profile on the music patronage site.Once youve crafted a website at your domain, be sure to connect it to your Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter profiles. If you have a personal blog, link to that, too. Consider your personal domain the online hub of your personal brand.For job seekers in the internet age, theres no better long-term branding tool than a personal domain. Its your permanent address on the internet, and now there are more opportunities than ever before to find a personal domain that says something about you, allowing you to truly stand out.Jeff Sass is the CMO of .CLUB Domains, LLC, operator of the new top-level domain .CLUB.

How to Stop Comparing Yourself to Co-Workers

How to Stop Comparing Yourself to Co-WorkersHow to Stop Comparing Yourself to Co-Workers In this day and age, it seems competition is everywhere we look whether its comparing ourselves to the people we follow online or staying late at the office to outwork your colleagues, we have a tendency to compete.Why is that? While some professionals might find inspiration in having a goal to work against their co-workers, wouldnt it be better to work as a team? Instead of seeing what others have as something to work towards, wouldnt we all work better if we focused on appreciating what we have?Competition in the workplace especially leads to stress for everyone involved your manager, your co-worker and of course, YOU. Ultimately, competing and comparing yourself and how you stack up against your co-workers leads to a negative environment , both in your headspace and in your office.Glassdoor spoke with Laura Weldy, womens life and leadership coach at The Well Supported Woman , to learn some insights on how we can squash competition with our co-workers.Instead of focusing on competing with your co-worker, Weldy says you need to first dedicate some time to inward reflection. If you pause to analyze the situation and determine why that colleague is bringing out this competitive edge in you, then youll find the answer you need to stop.Whats the need that youre trying to fill by being ultra competitive? What do you think youll receive as a result of being the first one to complete the project, or the one to receive the lengthy email shout out from your anfhrer? If what youre looking for is respect, fulfillment, or recognition, then its up to you to figure out a way to give yourself those things in a healthier way, says Weldy.Take a moment to ask yourself the following Why do you feel the need to compete with your co-worker? Are you jealous of their position or think they have a better relationship with your boss? Are you afraid youre going to lose yo ur job? Does your co-worker make more money than you?Weldy refers to these negative thoughts the results of imposter syndrome, or the fear that we are doing something wrong. Were always worried that someone is just waiting to call us out for not doing things correctly, and we use comparison as a way to make sure were on track, she explains. The problem with this is that it also squashes innovation. Youll never do or create something truly innovative if youre only allowing yourself to take actions that have been validated by the people around you. Comparing yourself to your co-workers is a quick way to create more doubt and more boring work, rather than the confidence youre craving.Some of you might be thinking, but competition with my co-worker makes me work harder and smarter , and while its true that some rivalry can be healthy, it really depends on whether or not its beneficial for everyone involved . You have to keep in mind how your competitive tendencies are treating others is your co-worker being alienated or are you causing them stress because you feel the need to compete? Or vice versa? This is where you need to communicate with your colleague and be honest about your intentions.Theres no reason that those motivated by competition cant embrace it, while those who are frustrated by competition are allowed to pursue a different method, suggests Weldy. If youre unsure whether competition is a motivating factor for you or for your coworkers/staff members, consider having the team take a personality test like the StrengthsFinder together. Its designed to help you identify your unique strengths, challenges and your motivations and might help you to make the whole environment more inclusive and inspiring.At the end of the day, having and recognizing your confidence will ultimately help you stop comparing yourself to your co-workers. As Weldy mentioned before, Comparing yourself to your co-workers is a quick way to create more doubt and more boring work, rather than the confidence youre craving.Try replacing the confidence you have in competing with your co-worker with confidence just in yourself. If you channel all that energy youre putting into trying to outwork or outsmart your colleague and instead put it into focusing on your own work, youll find that all you are really after is the knowledge that you are good at your job and you dont need validation from anyone for that