Mark Winterbottom

One month back at OpusRS – here’s what I’m seeing in the JavaScript contract market. It’s been great to get stuck back in, and I’ve already noticed some clear trends across the UK JavaScript contract space. 🏢 Hybrid working is shifting. Fully remote roles are becoming less common, with more contracts now asking for 2–3 days a week in the office. Collaboration and team presence are making a comeback. 💬 Contractors who know how to add value and communicate clearly with clients are being consistently extended. It’s not just about technical ability—commercial awareness and soft skills are making a real difference. 📉 Rates have taken a hit compared to a few years ago, but demand is still strong for those who can hit the ground running. ⚙️ Next.js is gaining serious traction. While React remains dominant with 39.5% of developers using it, Next.js is quickly rising with 17.9% adoption—thanks to its performance benefits and built-in features like server-side rendering and static site generation If you're a contractor looking for your next move, or a business needing top JavaScript talent, I’d love to connect. #JavaScript #NextJS #ReactJS #Contracting #TechRecruitment #OpusRS

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Some internal recruiters are exceptional. Others.... others are not. Here's 3 interactions I've had recently with 3 different TAs.... Number 1: Me: He's been working with React and Node for 8 years. Them: He's not suitable, we need an engineer that has worked with - pauses to read the JD - "Typescript or Javascript Frameworks". Number 2: Me: Very experienced in React, Node, Python for data, done a bit of Rust and Go too, and is the go to for all the CI/CD and Cloud stuff in the team. Them: Sounds like a Front End Engineer, not relevant for us. Number 3: Me: Sorry, do you mind repeating, is it Java or Javascript? Them: They're the same aren't they? Do want to be clear - lack of knowledge is NO problem at all, especially if you're a founder and it's doubly true if you are a non-technical founder. But if you're hiring someone to own and run tech recruitment in your startup, they MUST know the basics, otherwise they are just taking you and your business for a ride, and YOU are letting them. If you have any questions about what the good TAs are doing, and how they're genuinely improving and owning your talent function, give me a shout, I can explain what to look out for.

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How to Make Your CV Stand Out as a Software Engineer💡 The job market is flooded with talented engineers—so how do you cut through the noise? Here’s how to make sure your CV gets noticed. 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 Listing your tech stack is important, but what really matters is the business value you delivered. Employers want to see: • The problem you solved. • How you executed a solution. • The tangible outcome—did you save money, improve efficiency, or increase revenue? • Strong Impact Examples • Cut API response times by 40%, improving UX for 1 million users. • Automated CI/CD pipelines, slashing deployment time by 75% and reducing production bugs by 30%. • Developed a store credit policy solution that saved $500k in potential revenue leakage over six months. • Migrated legacy systems to the cloud, cutting costs by 20% and improving reliability. 𝗡𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 • Back up your achievements with real metrics. Numbers show exactly how valuable your work has been. • Keep It Clean and Easy to Read • Use bullet points. • Keep paragraphs short. • Highlight tech alongside project outcomes. • Show Collaboration • Talk about working with cross-functional teams or mentoring others—teamwork matters, but be specific 𝗧𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗼𝗿 𝗜𝘁 Each role has a different focus, so adjust your CV to highlight the skills and achievements most relevant to the job. Hiring managers spend seconds skimming you CV, make them count. #cvtips #cvwriting #standout

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Wondering how to get your job application noticed in the crowded UK dev market? I've been chatting with a lot of software developers recently, some early in their careers, others with years of experience, and one thing keeps coming up: "How do I actually stand out?" The truth is, the UK dev job market is tough right now. But I’ve seen what works (and what doesn’t), and I wanted to share a few tips that have helped candidates land interviews, and offers. Here’s what I’d recommend if you’re applying right now: 1. Customise, customise, customise - I can’t stress this enough: tailor your CV and cover letter for every role. Show how your experience matches their needs. Make it super easy for someone to see why you're a great fit at a glance. 2. Build (and show) cool stuff - Your GitHub or personal site can speak louder than your CV. Share real projects, ideally something beyond a to-do list app. If you've used a company’s API or built something relevant to them? Shout about it! 3. Let your passion show - Make it clear what kind of work excites you, whether that’s fintech, AI, or clean architecture. Add a bit of personality to your LinkedIn or portfolio. It helps you connect with the right teams. 5. Network is your net-worth - Go to meet-ups, tech events, comment on posts, send friendly DMs. A lot of roles never get posted online. The more people who know what you’re looking for, the more chances you’ll get. 6. Stay sharp with in-demand skills - Keep an eye on what’s hot in the UK, Java, JavaScript, C#, and cloud stuff are still in demand. Even just having a recent course or project to show you’re staying current can help. 7. Don’t get discouraged - You’ll hear nothing back from some roles. That’s normal. If a job feels right but you haven’t heard back in a couple of weeks, follow up! It shows you're proactive, not pushy. 8. Make your online presence count - Your LinkedIn and GitHub should clearly show what you're about, your skills, interests, and what you’re aiming for. This is often the first thing someone sees before they even open your CV. - Final thought: If you’re applying right now, especially as a junior, just know it’s normal to feel stuck sometimes. The first job is often the hardest to get, but once you're in, everything gets easier. Keep going, keep building, keep learning. And if we’re connected, don’t hesitate to reach out. Always happy to offer a bit of advice or point you in the right direction. #SoftwareEngineering #TechCareers #UKJobs #DevCommunity #JobSearchTips #CareerAdvice #RecruiterLife #SoftwareDeveloper #HiringTechTalent

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Why Do Senior Developers Turn Down Offers? You find a great candidate. The interviews go well. The offer is sent… then they decline. What happened? One big reason is the quality of the codebase. Experienced developers don’t want to spend their time fixing years of tech debt with no plan for improvement. They want to build, optimise, and work with modern, well-structured code. Another factor is a slow hiring process. If you take too long to decide, someone else will snap them up. Career growth matters too. The best engineers think long-term. If they don’t see opportunities to lead, architect, or work on interesting challenges, they’ll move on. The key? Be transparent about the role’s challenges, but also highlight opportunities for impact. Show them that your team values clean, scalable code and continuous improvement. What’s been your biggest challenge in hiring Senior Developers? #JavaScript #SeniorDevelopers #Hiring #TechRecruitment #SoftwareEngineering #TechHiring #React

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