Career hacking, 0% unemployment, What's your real name?

Author

Candle Team
June 18, 2024

📰 In this issue

🔹 Insider: Exclusive for our community

🔹 Opportunity: Hack into a Career

🔹 Trends: Hiring Trends Shaking Up Tech in 2024

🔹 Tools: The ATS playbook

🔹 Sparks: No cell, WiFi?…no problem, 0% unemployment, Real ID

🗃Insider

The Candle AI Disruption Score

This month, in our new insider section, meet the Candle AI Disruption score.

This new tool allows you to upload your resume and receive FREE insights and a personalized analysis that help you remain competitive in today's changing workplace. Try it today!

ResumeResponseGPT

While you’re at it, if you’re actively looking for a new job, you’ll find the ResumeResponseGPT Chrome Plugin an indispensable tool. With over 10,000 job listings analyzed, 800+ users, and a 5.0 Rating, this is a keeper.

🚀 Opportunity

Hack into a Career: Cybersecurity Beckons with Endless Opportunities

AI Generated

Cybersecurity is one of the hottest and most in-demand fields in the tech industry today and for the foreseeable future. The role of cyber security engineer tops the list of best tech jobs, boasting an astonishing 0% unemployment rate. With a global shortage of over 4 million cybersecurity professionals needed to combat growing threats, this career path offers unparalleled job security and opportunities.

To stand out in this competitive landscape, pursuing globally recognized certifications like the CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional), CISM (Certified Information Security Manager), and CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor) is highly recommended. These prestigious certifications validate expertise in implementing security best practices, managing risk, auditing systems, and complying with regulations.

While technical skills are crucial, employers also highly value transferable skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, communication abilities, and a passion for continuous learning in this rapidly evolving field. I think it’s evident this dynamic holds true across the knowledge worker spectrum.

For those already working in IT or security, earning an advanced degree like a (MSIT), coupled with top certifications, can significantly enhance career prospects and earning potential. This powerful combination positions individuals for lucrative leadership roles such as Chief Information Security Officer, Security Architect, or Consultant, commanding above-average salaries.

With cybersecurity threats escalating and the demand for skilled professionals far outstripping supply, this career path offers a future-proof, high-income opportunity for driven knowledge workers willing to invest in specialized education and certifications.

🔥 Why You Should Care - #1 Well paid, future proof job in tech.
 
🔑 Key Point - ZERO % unemployment - where do you find that?

📎 Related Resources

From what we’ve seen happening in the tech jobs market, the following is our take on what the landscape looks like today and going forward

To reiterate in a previous newsletter - The job market is witnessing a surge in demand for niche technical skills like cloud computing, automation, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the Internet of Things (IoT). Companies require developers proficient to build cutting-edge software solutions across various industries, from e-commerce and cybersecurity to consumer electronics and autonomous vehicles.

A lot of tech firms are opting for organic hiring methods, such as job boards and referrals, over traditional recruitment agencies. They can be more selective and find candidates genuinely interested in the role, while avoiding the exorbitant fees charged by agencies.

To maintain flexibility and control costs, especially during economic uncertainties, companies are increasingly relying on temp or contract workers for project-based roles. This is a 2 way street, allowing businesses to access top talent without the long-term commitment of full-time employment, while providing professionals with opportunities for varied work experiences.

More soft skills fodder - Communication, open-mindedness, and professionalism are kind of nice when it comes to fostering a positive work environment. Just remember, your cohorts aren’t big on developers possessing inflated egos or poor interpersonal skills.

Tech teams are looking for diverse talent from various backgrounds and locations, recognizing the value of diverse perspectives and experiences. Hiring managers are looking beyond local markets to build multinational teams with a broader range of skills and insights.

There’s more and more of a push for companies to invest in upskilling and reskilling their existing workforce rather than continuously recruiting new talent. This approach not only retains valuable institutional knowledge but also proves more cost-effective $$$$ in the long run.

At the end of the day, these hiring trends underscore the importance of cultivating practical experience, niche skills, and soft competencies for knowledge workers seeking to remain competitive and adaptable in the ever-changing job market

🔥 Why You Should Care - Most of this is common sense, but factual as well.
 
🔑 Key Point - Remain competitive and adaptable in the evolving job market

📎 Related Resources

🚀 Tools

The ATS Playbook: From Bots to Bosses

Considering that some 83% of corporations and 99% of fortune 500 companies run applications through an ATS, then it should stand to reason that gaming the ATS is the logical first step to getting your resume seen by a human. Maybe the term “gaming” might be a little strong, but you get the point.

Let’s get down what ATS systems can and can’t do.

You're a capable professional with a wealth of experience, but the job hunt has become an apocalyptic vision where you have to appease a damn machine before a human even glances at your resume.

Remember - First things first, ditch the fancy formatting and graphics. Those pseudocode algorithms can't handle anything more complex than a Word document from the '90s. So now, your meticulously crafted resume with the sleek design and cool header? Straight into the circular file.

Next up, hyperlinks. While they may seem like a cool way to showcase your online portfolio, they're essentially the resume Achilles heel for the ATS. One misplaced link, and your beautifully crafted sentences might as well be written in Egyptian hieroglyphics.

Speaking of fonts, forget about that funky typeface you spent hours agonizing over. Stick to the basics, period. Unless you want your resume to look like hieroglyphics to the bots, use those tried-and-true defaults like Times New Roman or Arial. Boring, but at least the machines will recognize it as human language.

Consistency is key, too. If you format one job description a certain way, you have to apply that same styling to the rest of your resume. These AI systems are like toddlers – it’s about patterns, and any deviation will send them into a tantrum, resulting in your hard work going right down the shi**er.

OK, now keywords. Your extensive experience should speak for itself, but these algos aren't exactly known for their deductive reasoning skills, yet. If the job listing mentions "JavaScript," you better include those exact words on your resume, lest the bots assume you're utterly clueless about coding.

Lastly, don't forget about people, yep human beings! Once you've jumped through all the digital hoops, there's a chance an actual person might review your application. So, while you're catering to the machines, try to maintain a semblance of personality and humanity in your resume. Because let's face it, a good personality goes a long way.

🔥 Why You Should Care - Increase your odds exponentially-don’t get ghosted
 
🔑 Key Point - An actual person might review your application

📎 Related Resources

🚀 Sparks

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