Last year, the DOU media resource published an article in which newcomers to the IT industry were told how and where to start their career path.
We decided to make a similar material in which representatives of Vinnytsia IT companies provide answers to the most common questions about the city's technology industry in 2023.
1. What should be understood about the IT industry of Vinnytsia
What types of IT companies are there in Vinnytsia
Dariia Nyshporska, Chairman of the board at IT VN Association
Vinnytsia ranks 4th in the ranking of the most technological cities in Ukraine. More than 150 companies were operating here before the full-scale invasion, and now relocated companies from the East and South of Ukraine have found a comfortable shelter in the city.
Among the variety of local IT companies, the following prevail:
- Products that create their applications, games, etc.
- Services that provide development, business analysis, recruiting, etc. services.
- Startups are still very young innovative companies.
Vinnytsia is dominated by companies specializing in software development, and their main specializations are product or outsourcing (when the project is subcontracted to another company).
Among the customers, representatives of the service, financial, medical, industrial, and tourism industries prevail. From 2022, there is also an active startup process. We united the top IT companies with representative offices in Vinnytsia and an excellent reputation in the Vinnytsia IT Association.
Will the IT industry be promising in the coming years?
Dmytro Sofyna, CEO WINSTARS.AI
Undoubtedly, the IT sphere is in the process of evolutionary transformation, seasoned by global economic and technological trends (in Ukraine, of course, the war also makes adjustments).
The technology stack will shift: there will be many simple vacancies for development in editors or with ready-made DBMS; conversely, the emphasis will be on complex enterprise development and startups.
However, there will be no such outsourcing boom as before due to the reduction of the difference in salaries with the customer countries.
The boom will be associated with other technologies and directions.
What salary range to expect?
Dariia Nyshporska, Chairman of the board at IT VN Association
According to the latest DOU salary survey, in the summer of 2023, the median salary of a Vinnytsia IT specialist reached $3,325. Senior C# / .Net developers received the largest amounts ($4700). The smallest - $2150 - JavaScript developers.
You should review similar studies at least once every six months to compare the ratio of your experience and knowledge with market offers and needs - this is also an important component when building your career plan.
What are the most popular vacancies in Vinnytsia?
Dariia Nyshporska, Chairman of the board at IT VN Association
Over the past year, significant changes have occurred in the IT industry's world market, which has also affected Ukraine. Currently, most companies prefer more experienced specialists (Middle + and above), and the working conditions are increasingly dominated by the remote work format, which gained popularity back when the coronavirus was the main trouble for business...
Among the leaders of vacancies in Vinnytsia in 2023:
- Software Developer, particularly in Java, Python, C#, .NET, etc.
- Web Developer: Developers of HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, Ruby, and frameworks such as Angular or React can have extensive opportunities.
- Quality Assurance Engineer with the most popular Selenium, JUnit, or PyTest frameworks.
- Data Analyst, SQL, Excel, Tableau, Power BI, Python, R, etc. tools prevail here. DevOps
2. Where to study?
What are the universities or educational institutions with a focus on IT in Vinnytsia?
Oleh Kovaliuk, coordinator of EPAM University programs in the Podilsk region
There are many good educational institutions in Vinnytsia where you can acquire IT-related professions. At the same time, I recommend paying particular attention to Vinnytsia National Technical University and Donetsk National University, named after Vasyl Stus. They are educational partners of EPAM, with whom we constantly interact to improve the quality of student education.
Is it necessary to graduate from university, maybe enough courses?
Tetiana Demchuk, HR People Partner at Covent IT
To be an effective worker in your field, it is enough to complete a well-constructed course that would include not only theory but also practical cases or even small projects that can be included in a portfolio. Such a course will be quite enough for a start. Still, in the future, your career will depend only on the acquired practical experience and the desire to develop and learn new technologies independently.
Experience shows that very often, an employee who comes to the company after the courses shows better results at work than a student after university due to more practical and narrowly focused preparation of the courses than the university.
This same comparison can work the other way around when it comes to the assimilation of an employee into a team - a student after university has more social experience than a person of the same age after short courses because higher education, in turn, provides more communicative practices, broadens a person's horizons thanks to a variety of subjects and their diversity, and also develops soft skills.
Where to find knowledge and information for self-study?
Anton Rozdorozhniuk, Newsoft, Senior Flutter Developer
To begin with, the main thing is to determine the study's direction accurately. And then, the algorithm of actions is quite simple. I will explain using the example of mobile development:
1. Official documentation and websites. For example, developer.android.com or flutter.dev, where you can already get a reasonably large set of knowledge;
2. Online courses. There are many online platforms where you can take an entire course and gain knowledge on any subject. For example, coursera.org, udemy.com, or Ukrainian mate.academy;
3. YouTube channels. Many YouTube channels offer simple examples and full-fledged training courses. I recommend starting with the official ones like: www.youtube.com/c/AndroidDevelopers or www.youtube.com/@flutterdev;
4. Articles, forums, and communities. Everything is simple here; on Medium, Stack Overflow, Reddit, and many other similar platforms, you can find an article or thread on almost any topic that may arise during education;
5. And, of course, books. You should be aware of well-collected knowledge, so I advise you to find books by topic and read them. First, it helps to better structure information on the issue. And secondly, it develops a general understanding of the subject of study. I advise programmers to read Uncle Bob; these are not the newest books, but they are still very relevant.
3. What do you need to know?
What level of knowledge and skills is currently required for employment?
Dmytro Sofyna, CEO WINSTARS.AI
Firstly, soft skills are not just banal words about communication and initiative. Ability to work independently and efficiently with high self-motivation (in remote conditions).
Secondly, the English language is at the level of lively and accessible communication (no one canceled meetings and interviews).
Thirdly, a narrow specialization with the possibility of flexible switching at the start of a career (not just a computer and everything, but a desire to develop in the direction where the company offered to undergo an internship.
На що звернути увагу в компанії, перш ніж влаштуватись на роботу в 2023?
Yelyzaveta Mykhalchuk, PR manager at IT VN Association
I recommend paying attention to the following aspects:
- Company reputation. Research the history and reputation of an IT company. Check how long they have been on the market, what projects they have completed, and what clients they have.
- Technological stack. Make sure that the technologies and tools used in the company are relevant, modern, and suitable for your professional development.
- Team and colleagues. Learning more about the team you will be working with is essential. Pay attention to communication and cooperation in the company.
- Company culture. Consider whether the values align with your beliefs and whether their work style suits you.
- Development opportunities. Consider what opportunities for development and career growth the company offers. Check if they have training programs, trainings, and other events that promote professional growth.
- The size of the company. Consider the size of the company and its structure. Larger companies may have more opportunities and projects, but smaller companies may provide more flexibility and options to influence processes.
- Compensation and benefits package. Consider the salary offer, bonuses, social packages, and other benefits.
4. Where to intern?
Is an internship mandatory and is it a guarantee of further employment in the company?
Liubov Khashchevska, Operations manager at ElifTech IT School
An internship in an IT company is an excellent opportunity for young professionals to gain practical experience. During the training, the engineer can be involved in commercial projects developed in the company or practice internal or educational projects.
The internship is not mandatory because you can enter the company through a vacancy. However, after completing training, a young specialist receives several advantages:
1) This is an opportunity to get to know the company's culture even before employment, to assess how well you "fit each other";
2) If the internship takes place on a commercial project, it is an opportunity to immediately immerse yourself in teamwork, with all the attributes of development methodologies;
3) And even if the internship takes place on internal or educational projects, the mentors are experienced developers who can share "how to write code" and best practices for project development, business logic, time management, etc.
Internships can be in a group or individually. They do not provide a 100% guarantee of further employment because the young specialist will be assigned appropriate tasks and will have space to prove himself. However, the chances of staying in the company are very high if you have already received an internship.
Which companies in Vinnytsia provide internship opportunities for IT beginners?
Vinnytsia, like many other cities in Ukraine, is home to a large number of companies in the field of information technology. These companies create innovative products and services and provide internship opportunities for up-and-comers who want to start their careers in the IT industry.
Some companies that are part of the Vinnytsia IT Association also provide this opportunity, so do not hesitate to find out information on their website or ask directly.
Liubov Khashchevska, Operations manager at ElifTech IT School
The ElifTech company annually conducts 2-3 internship launches based on its IT School. These are group internships where engineers gain experience in teamwork, create their projects from "scratch," and learn new technologies for themselves.
The internship lasts two months and has a flexible schedule (meetings with a mentor in the evening, practical tasks can be completed in free time), which is suitable even for sweaters with a primary job. Most people get a job offer after the internship (or even during it).
5. How to start working?
How and where to find a job in Vinnytsia IT companies in 2023?
Dariia Nyshporska, Chairman of the board at IT VN Association
The personnel crisis among young specialists at the trainee and junior levels can cause feelings of despair and insecurity. However, every problem is followed by a period of economic recovery, and the technology field will not be an exception.
That is why now is the perfect time to actively work on developing your professional portfolio. Filling it with your projects and taking commercial orders on popular freelancing sites like Upwork will add value to your experience and demonstrate your expertise to potential employers.
Given the variety of job search resources, it is worth focusing on those with a recognized reputation and a wide range of employers. The social network LinkedIn and the DOU platform occupy one of the leading positions on this list. However, it is essential to consider other platforms like Djinni, Work.ua, and others, especially for non-technical jobs. Remember regional channels with vacancies, which can be a hidden source of valuable information, for example, the Telegram channel @IT_VN of the Vinnytsia IT community.
Remember also the importance of personal acquaintances and networks of contacts. Attending professional events, conferences, and other events in your industry can be highly beneficial. In this context, be proactive about your career, meet new people, and expand your opportunities.
How to make a "correct" CV?
Bohdan Zahriia, Head of Marketing at Spendbase
From the banal but not obvious, it was immediately remembered that sometimes it is challenging to understand the current level of English or another foreign language in a CV, and this is almost the most critical moment for international companies.
When finding your perfect match candidate for a recruiter, everything starts with the basics: language, technical knowledge, and experience. All this should be readable because a hundred or even two hundred CVs fly before the recruiter's eyes in a day.
If there is no certificate in the application, I advise you to register in the B2 or Upper-intermediate format. Often there is a standard purchased theme for a resume with dots or flowers (for example, Ukrainian ● ● ● ● ● English ● ● ● ● Polish ● ● ● ), and for a recruiter, it is a riddle on logic with two stars. Such a CV can be viewed and closed.
TOP-3 Disturbing recruiters:
CVs with Russian certificates, and .ru links in good companies fly into the trash, and this is not something to be proud of now;
Discriminatory statements & sexism do not indicate a high level of intelligence of a specialist;
Unstructured CV on many pages (if you want to say more, it is better to add a motivation letter).
TOP-3 Good ideas:
The structure is SLAY! Highlight work experience, volunteering, internship, and training. If there was career growth in the company, then write down which one exactly;
Indicate in which month a particular stage began and ended because from 2021 to 2022 may mean for some candidates not a year but a month of work. We are for transparency!
Check that the Linkedin link is clickable and that the phone number is not missing a digit. Give the recruiter a chance to call you, be nice!
I wish everyone to find their Dream Team!
6. How to successfully pass an interview?
What are the typical steps involved in the interview process in IT companies?
Roman Mykytiuk, Head of Vinnytsia office Sigma Software
The typical process for technical and non-technical specialties may differ slightly, but classically the following path awaits the candidate:
Contact with the recruiter - Screening - HR interview - Technical interview - Conversation with the manager - Feedback.
The company may also ask you to complete a technical task or pass a specific test (for English language proficiency).
What do HR pay attention to during an interview?
Roman Mykytiuk, Head of Vinnytsia office Sigma Software
First of all, the recruiter evaluates basic professional skills. The candidate's attitude towards the interview itself is immediately and always remembered. This attitude consists of the following:
- Punctuality. It will be quite difficult to explain that you usually do everything on time if you are significantly late for the interview.
- Discovery about the company. It is easy to show interest in the position by knowing basic information about the potential employer. Everything that is needed is googled. An additional advantage will be a mention of previous communication with the company at forums, presentations, and conferences.
- Openness during self-presentation. Sincerity is always appreciated. It is worth understanding that you will not hack the system by pulling the mask on yourself. The recruiter already knows what team you must work with and is looking for someone mentally close to this team. You will likely hit the "milk" by hiding your true motives and values because teams are diverse.
- Structuredness and logic of the story. The breadth of knowledge and interests. This usually indicates the ability and desire to learn something new.
Feedback. Most candidates mistakenly believe that the interview is a one-way game. They ask you, and you answer clearly. The most successful discussions occur in an equal conversation when the candidate does not hesitate to ask for important information, clarify questions, or touch on related topics.
What does СTO pay attention to during an interview with a candidate?
Kostiantyn Isaienkov, CTO at WINSTARS.AI
First, attention should be paid to the candidate's soft skills. This applies to many aspects, such as the general behavior of a person (should be checked before the stage of communication with the recruiter), the ability to work in a team, the manner of behavior with customers, the way a person behaves in a critical situation, and much more.
The main goal of this stage is to understand whether the candidate is suitable for the company and the company for the candidate.
Secondly, it is the candidate's technical skills. Of course, you should always check the technology stack required by the job but remember how the candidate approaches complex problems.
Therefore, during each interview, I offer developers to solve a couple of exciting problems to understand how a person thinks.
7. What to do next?
What opportunities for career development are there in the IT industry of Vinnytsia?
Yelyzaveta Mykhalchuk, PR manager at IT VN Association
Vinnytsia is a promising city for career development in the field of IT. It has many IT companies that offer various opportunities for professional growth.
You can join large corporations where teams of professionals work on large-scale projects. Or you can choose a startup community where you can actively participate in creating new products and have more freedom in professional development.
In addition, Vinnytsia offers a wide range of educational opportunities. There are educational institutions offering courses and trainings in various IT fields. You can deepen your knowledge and gain new skills, increasing your competitiveness in the labor market.
IT conferences and community meetings are also often held in the city. This provides an opportunity to meet highly qualified specialists and establish valuable contacts. In addition to working on projects in companies, you can also participate in your projects or join open sources and communities. It provides an opportunity to demonstrate your abilities and skills, which will help increase your value in the job market.
What are the steps to incrementally grow professionally in IT?
Arthur Stepanovskiy, Product Manager at Trucker Guide
Developing a career in IT requires planning and constant learning. Here are some steps that can help you:
- Definition of the goal. Visualize your ultimate goal to understand what you are striving for. Do you want to become a project manager or a senior developer, or do you want to specialize in a specific area? This will help you create a clear development path.
- Education and training. Continuous learning is key in the IT sector. This can be formal education, self-study through online courses, or certification in specific areas.
- Practice. Gaining experience through practical work is extremely important. The popular concept is that it takes about 10,000 hours of practice to become an expert in any field.
- Constant updating of skills. Technology changes rapidly, and you will need to update your skills constantly. It is worth planning time to monitor changes and updates.
- Development of SOFT skills. In addition to technical skills, communication, time management, problem-solving, teamwork, etc. are also important. They help to establish positive relationships in the team, increase productivity and promote success. Regardless of industry or profession, SOFT skills are often considered one of the most critical factors for a successful career.
How do managers understand that a person is ready for development in the company?
Serhii Redko, head of EPAM Ukraine in the central region
It is always noticeable. In particular, the readiness for development can be monitored by three signs: the desire to constantly learn and teach others, a healthy obsession with what a person does, and the use of acquired knowledge in practice.
Arthur Stepanovskiy, Product Manager at Trucker Guide
In my business experience, in the context of a product environment:
When an employee is aware of the relationship between his work and the final product and tries to adapt or improve his tasks to contribute to the final result as much as possible.
So there is a desire to initiate change, but the necessary skills or permissions may be lacking.
At this moment, the manager must recognize the employee's readiness for development and support him in this process.
8. ІТ-спільнота і події
Які місцеві ІТ-спільноти, групи або організації активні у Вінниці?
Dariia Nyshporska, Chairman of the board at IT VN Association
Since 2018, the Vinnytsia IT Association of 18 top companies in the city has been active in the town, uniting professionals, companies, students, and all those interested in developing information technologies.
The organization's primary goal is to create a favorable environment for the development of the IT industry, to improve the quality and competitiveness of local IT enterprises, and to train qualified specialists. We conduct various events, research and cooperate with the government, educational institutions, and Ukrainian and international business communities to achieve common goals.
In addition, various technological communities operate in Vinnytsia, according to programming languages, business areas, etc.
For example, Vinnytsia JS annually holds a large thematic conference that gathers everyone interested in JavaScript technology.
Also, companies sometimes create communities of like-minded people themselves. For example, Sigma Software joined the creation of the UA Tech Network, and EPAM has several internal communities: from the Garage community to the IT People Soft Skills community.
What advantages do you see in participating in the IT community and attending events for young professionals?
Tetiana Demchuk, HR People Partner at Covent IT
The first and most important reason for young professionals to participate in various events of the IT community is the opportunity to learn about invaluable work experience in the IT field from highly qualified specialists with rich commercial experience.
Acquaintance and exchange of information with the same IT youth, understanding the labor market, and obtaining information about the practical application of new technologies are no less important. Young specialists have a better sense of trends and, under different worldviews, will create new ideas and push progress in the field.
It is also helpful for the employer because the company will constantly be "in earshot." Young specialists will sharpen their skills and bring fresh ideas, which will prevent the company's stagnation.