Even though negotiating your salary can be awkward, the benefits can last as long as your career. After you negotiate your salary at one job, the higher pay may follow you as you move to the next one and so on.

Along with a good salary, you should also know how to get the best benefits and any available shares of the company tied into your compensation package. Read on to get tips on negotiating your salary in tech industry and learn about how benefits and stock can pay off just as well as cash.

Why are benefits important?

Benefits can help you take care of things that would otherwise require personal investments of time, money, and energy — so, often, they’re worth their weight in gold. Common benefits include:

• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Life insurance
• Retirement savings
• Paid sick time
• Paid time off
• Paid medical leave

Considering the costs of paying for health and dental insurance out of pocket, it may even be worth taking slightly less pay if it means you have these benefits covered. With other benefits, like a retirement savings plan, the company may even match a portion of your savings. As time goes on, this can add up to a significant chunk of your nest egg.

The good news is, many companies include the benefits listed above in their compensation packages. During your interviews, make sure you ask about benefits so you can compare offers between companies.

Should you ask for shares of company stock?

In most situations, you should happily accept shares of company stock. The one exception would be if they offer to replace a significant portion of your salary in exchange for shares. This could be a red flag indicating they’re low on cash and not as fiscally sound as they appear on the surface.

Companies often offer shares on top of a regular salary because they give an employee a certain amount of “skin in the game,” aligning company success with the value of their stock portfolio. Accept shares whenever possible, even if they come with limitations on when you can sell them. As the company grows, your stock will grow along with it.

Because you can eventually sell them, shares of the company are essentially free money. If the company has not offered shares, you should include them in your list of things to negotiate for.

How to negotiate your salary in the tech industry

Before negotiating your salary, make a list of the things you want, including a specific pay range and any of the benefits listed above. Make sure your list includes specific figures. Armed with this, you’re ready to start negotiating.

Know your worth

While it’s easy to simply Google, “How much do Front-End Developers make?” you shouldn’t stop here. The numbers you get online will give you a starting point, but it’s best to reach out to real people, such as:

• Friends in the tech industry
• Recruiters familiar with your sector
• People who’ve been working in tech for a long time
• Teachers and classmates in courses you’ve completed or are currently taking
• Company executives
• IT managers

You may learn that the numbers you saw online are spot on, but if they’re different, you should adjust your expectations. It’s also important to check the salary ranges in your location — even if you’ll be working remotely.

If you’re interested in becoming a developer, our courses can help you get the experience and skills you’ll need to back up your requests for more money and benefits. A developer’s tech stack is a huge factor in their salary expectations, so increase your marketability by learning how to use programming languages like:

Negotiate early

It’s both to your advantage and considerate to the company to start negotiating early. You can broach the subject by respectfully saying something along these lines:

“I’m really excited about this opportunity. I’d like to give you an idea of what I’m looking for as far as compensation, so we’re on the same page.”

Starting negotiations early will help you see if the company can provide what you’re looking for, and it also gives them some figures to work with as they come up with an offer. In many cases, your interviewer will share your salary expectations with HR and other decision-makers.

Nailing the interview process will make negotiations easier for you and more comfortable for the employer. To prepare for your upcoming interviews, check out the interview prep courses below:

Negotiate with the right attitude and wording

Negotiating your salary isn’t a negative in the eyes of a company, but you don’t want to come off as demanding. Instead of saying, “I will accept nothing less than X,” try saying something along the lines of:

“Given the following industry averages, [show salaries that align with the position and your experience] I was hoping for something in the range of X.”

“I currently earn X, and my goal is to move forward from that.”

Don’t bank on promises of higher pay

If the company presents an offer that’s well below what you’re looking for but then follows with, “…but in a few years, you can probably make 15% more,” don’t consider that a part of their official “package.”

Unless it’s in writing, the company can reverse it as quickly as they brought it up. You can counter with something like, “That sounds great, thank you. Would X% higher right now be a possibility?”

With these tips, you can secure the pay you deserve. Still, adding new skills to your skillset is a great way to increase your salary expectations. If you’re looking to brush up on your technical skills, check out our catalog of programming courses.

Our courses provide you with the knowledge, skills, and experience you’ll need to show employers you bring value to the table — a value they can feel comfortable paying for. To learn more about how our courses can boost your worth, sign up today for free.

The demand for Data Engineers recently rose around 45%, and with an average salary of about $111,000 or higher, a data engineering career comes with a lot of promise for job security. To position yourself for a top job as a Data Engineer, you’ll need to showcase the right skills and keywords on your resume.

Keep reading to learn how to build a Data Engineer resume, how to highlight your hard and soft skills, and the best keywords to include on your resume to grab the attention of employers.

What to include on your Data Engineer resume

Along with your skills, your resume should include things about you that help employers get in touch with you, understand what drives you, and what qualifies you for the position. Here’s the standard information to put on your resume.

Contact information

Always include your name, address, email address, and phone number at the top of your resume. That way it’s easy for the hiring manager to locate it when they’re ready to reach out to you. Also, keep in mind that using an email address derived from your real name isn’t just professional, but also a nice way to build your personal brand.

Your objective

While it’s not required, a brief declaration of what you’re looking to achieve helps the employer understand your sense of direction and what drove you to apply for the position.

Your objective statement can read something like this:

“Data Engineer looking for an entry-level position that allows me to implement natural language processing tools, as well as evaluate the workflow and increase the efficiency of data pipelines to help the organization accomplish its objectives.”

Experience

Your experience section should include:

• All jobs you’ve held that somehow prepared you for the tasks you’ll perform in the position.
• Real-world problems you’ve solved in past roles or courses
• Experience you’ve gained doing volunteer work involving database skills, including teaching at coding camps or a school-based program

Hard skills for your Data Engineer resume

Data Engineers design, build and maintain databases. To show you can deliver actionable database solutions, you’ll want to highlight your technical skills on your resume. This includes your proficiency with different programming languages and applications, such as:

Coding languages for your Data Engineer resume

• SQL: Structured Query Language (SQL) is used to program databases and manage how applications access the data in them. SQL is also used to analyze large volumes of data, including business data.
• Python: Python is a programming language used for many different types of applications, including web apps, operating systems, machine learning, and mobile apps. Because these applications often depend on databases, you’ll want to show that you’re proficient with Python.
• R: You use R to analyze data and develop software that presents data and recommendations in a way that makes it actionable for various stakeholders. It’s a programming language that’s central to the job of many data miners and statisticians.

Programs Data Engineers should show on their resumes

While showing your skill with the coding languages above, you’ll also want to showcase your ability to use the applications Data Engineers use on a daily basis. These include the following:

• Apache: Apache is a software library used to process large sets of data in a clustered environment. A clustered design ecosystem makes it easier to manage how applications access the various dependencies they need to run. With Apache, you can build tools for a relatively small number of users or a fairly simple set of operations, but you can scale it quickly.

Because many different people and departments use data sets, the scalability of Apache is a useful asset for businesses. Showing your Apache skills on your resume can let an employer know that you can create and work with scalable data solutions.

• Amazon Web Services and Redshift: Amazon Web Services is one of the leading platforms for designers, developers, and Database Engineers, and Redshift is a web services tool specifically made for warehousing data. A data warehouse refers to a database that applications and individuals can use to query and analyze data sets.

Because Amazon Web Services has become a go-to resource for many companies, showing you’re comfortable working with data in Redshift may make you an easy fit for a lot of businesses.

• ETL tools: ETL stands for extract, transfer, load, and it’s a general term describing how data gets used and applied. Data is extracted, transferred to a useable format, and then loaded to a data warehouse.

ETL tools work by applying rules to the data to leverage them for business insights. As a Data Engineer, you would play a role in designing the rules according to your employer’s needs and interpreting the results outputted by the ETL tools.

• C++: With C++, you can process as much as a full gig of data in one second. It’s often used to work with data sets when a predefined algorithm is not already manipulating them. C++ puts you, the Data Engineer, in the driver’s seat as you choose how to best analyze and present your data.

One of the main reasons you’ll want to show your C++ skills is because you can use them to perform predictive analysis. Predictive analysis is a key component of machine learning. Companies use it to help discover patterns and then predict what may happen given similar circumstances in the future.

If you highlight your C++ abilities, you may stand out as someone who’s comfortable working with big data, a useful ability in the modern business landscape.

Soft skills for a data engineer resume

In addition to these hard skills, you need the following soft skills to ensure your ideas are heard and you can work well with others.

• Communication skills: Because you’ll have to listen to, learn from, and interact with teammates, executives, and other stakeholders, you’ll need to show you have strong communication skills. One way to do this is to use keywords like “worked with,” “outlined,” “interfaced with,” and “collaborated with” on your resume.
• Presentation skills: A Data Engineer needs to turn numbers into compelling insights and then present them in a way that moves listeners to act, which requires presentation skills. Highlighting these on your resume can be easier if you use keywords pertaining to common presentation apps and tools. These may include PowerPoint, Google Slides, Canva, Beautiful.ai, and Genially.

As the demand for data engineering professionals continues to grow, many people are building rewarding and high-paying careers in this exciting field. And a polished resume that highlights the right skills and background can help you land an interview for your next Data Engineer role.

If you’re interested in learning a new programming language to support your career or add to your existing knowledge, check out our course catalog, including classes like Learn SQL, Learn Python, Learn R, and Learn C++. You can also work on strengthening your portfolio to support your resume with our portfolio projects. Get started today for free.

A Cybersecurity Analyst is responsible for monitoring a company’s computer infrastructure and network, keeping all of their sensitive information secure. Their specific responsibilities can vary widely but generally include:

• Controlling access to files
• Maintaining firewalls
• Updating networks
• Attempting to hack the systems they were hired to protect to find vulnerabilities

Just about every business you can think of needs a Cybersecurity Analyst because security risks are an ever-present danger for any system or program connected to the Internet. Hackers are always looking for new ways to exploit networks, damage systems, and steal data. It’s no wonder the number of cybersecurity job postings has grown over three times faster than the overall IT market since 2013.

With this demand, it really doesn’t matter if you graduated with a computer science degree, completed a boot camp, or taught yourself cybersecurity. Businesses are just looking to hire people with the right skills and technical experience to get the job done. Read on to see how you can land a job in this lucrative field.

Determine what you want to specialize in

There are many things you can do as a Cybersecurity Analyst, so you’ll want to start with an end in mind. While learning the basic skills that all Cybersecurity Analysts need is a necessity, specializing in one aspect of security will help you stand out in the marketplace. Here are a few specialties:

• Cryptographer: Cryptographers use various encryption tools to keep sensitive information safe from attackers.
• Penetration Tester: Penetration Testers attempt to hack a system to identify and address vulnerabilities.
• Security Engineer: Security Engineers design systems and software that defend against cyberthreats.
• Security Administrator: Security Administrators are similar to Security Engineers, but they’re responsible for an entire network.
• Forensic Computer Analyst: Forensic Analysts solve data crimes by examining systems and software that have been attacked to determine who the culprits are and prevent similar attacks in the future.
• Chief Information Security Officer (CISO): CISO’s are C-level executives who know the ins and outs of the cybersecurity landscape and are responsible for hiring and managing cybersecurity staff.

But this list is just the beginning. For more details, check out our article on six in-demand cybersecurity careers. Once you’ve decided which role you want to pursue, you can start building your skills.

Build your cybersecurity skills

Because cybersecurity involves working with various systems and networks, you’ll need a solid foundation of technical knowledge and skills. To start, check out our Introduction to Cybersecurity course to start learning essential concepts and basic cybersecurity practices. Once you’ve completed this, it’s time to building your skills.

Knowing the basics of coding will help you immensely, as you’ll better understand the various components of the networks and systems you’ll need to protect. Our Code Foundations Skill Path is a great way to learn basic coding principles and syntax. After, consider learning Python as the language is often used to write scripts that test a network’s security — which is a vital skill if you’re looking to become a Penetration Tester.

Make it through the hiring process

Once you’ve built your cybersecurity skills, it’s time to start applying for jobs. Below, we’ll briefly walk you through two key elements of the hiring process: portfolio building and interviewing.

Having a solid portfolio and being well-prepared for your interviews will not only give you more confidence but also help you stand out from other candidates and increase your chances of landing the job. Here are the steps involved.

Portfolio

Depending on which cybersecurity role you pursue, you may not need a portfolio — but it’ll definitely help you make a good impression. While you’re learning to code, take on projects that illustrate the skills you’ll need in your future career.

For example, as Penetration Testers need to be familiar with open-source scripts and software, you could contribute to an open-source pen-testing project on GitHub. Then, make sure you add a link to your LinkedIn account to show recruiters what you can do.

For more information, check out our guide on building a technical portfolio.

Phone screening

The first step in getting any cybersecurity job is the initial phone screening. Phone screenings allow employers to get a sense of your personality and how well you’d fit in as part of their team. You usually won’t have to get very technical on this first phone call. Just show your interest and enthusiasm for cybersecurity, and you should easily pass this step.

In-person or virtual interview

After you pass the phone screening, you’ll be invited to an actual interview. This may be held in person or over video chat. The interview length will vary based on the seniority of the open position, and the questions will be more specific than those in the phone screening.

This part of the interview process is a two-way street. The employer wants to determine if you can do the job, but your questions should help you decide whether or not you want to work for the company.

Technical interview

If the in-person or virtual interview goes well, the next step is a technical interview. This is where you’ll put the skills you learned to use, so review what you learned beforehand and practice your responses.

Technical interviews usually involve solving a technical problem similar to those you’ll face in the role. Don’t worry about having the right answer — your interviewer is far more concerned with your approach to solving a problem. As you work through your solution, be sure to explain your reasoning.

Getting started

Ready to launch your career in cybersecurity? There’s no better time to get started. The first step is to build your skills, and our Introduction to Cybersecurity course will get you going with the basics. After completing the course, you’ll know how to identify and protect networks and software against the most common cybersecurity threats and attacks.

To take your skills further, our User Authentication & Authorization in Express course will teach you how to use one of the most popular frameworks used in cybersecurity today.

Working remotely not only provides you with a comfortable, relaxing atmosphere, but it’s also great for the company you work for. Research shows that remote workers are between 35% and 40% more productive than those in an office.

In many ways, working remotely offers the best of both worlds, especially when it comes to tech jobs, which can pay well without requiring you to leave your home — or even your bed. Read on to learn about how the remote work movement is gaining momentum, as well as full-time and contract jobs you can do remotely.

Many companies are now using remote workers

Many companies in the past year have made the transition to allowing employees the option to work remotely. Today, 56% of organizations in the U.S. allow their employees to work remotely, and 18% use full-time remote workers.

Along with the 35% to 40% boost in productivity, remote workers also report being happier in their positions. Fostering a productive, positive environment has a ripple effect, resulting in better customer service and higher employee retention.

These benefits weren’t realized for many companies until much of the world was forced to embrace the remote workplace because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now that working from home — or elsewhere — has become part of the new norm, the number of full-time and contract remote work positions has increased. Here are some of the top tech jobs you can do from anywhere you have reliable internet reception.

How to find tech jobs that can be done remotely

The internet has many websites that list remote work opportunities. Some of the options include:

You can also ask an employer if they would be OK with you working some or all of the time remotely. In some cases, a company may be willing to extend this provision to the right person, knowing they can get top talent by being a little flexible.

Full-time jobs that can be done remotely

Here are some full-time jobs you can do from home.

Front-End Web Developer

A full-time Front-End Web Developer can bring in around $104,280 a year — even while working remotely. As a Web Developer, you’d design web applications that help organizations meet their internal goals and engage with customers. As a Front-End Web Developer, your focus is on the user-facing elements, including the user interface (UI), which you leverage to create a positive and productive user experience (UX).

Your pay as a Front-End Web Developer reflects the importance of your job: You ensure that apps are useful and tweaked for optimal end-user performance. With our Front-End Engineer Career Path, you can gain the knowledge and experience you need to start your journey designing effective user-facing solutions. Because you can sign in to your company’s VPN or cloud environment and access the tools and resources you need, it’s easy to take the skills you learn in our courses and turn them into remote income.

A Back-End Web Developer

A Back-End Web Developer brings in an average of $120,010 a year. They design the inner workings of web apps — the elements you use but can’t see. Back-End Web Developers link apps’ dependencies to power their functions, such as databases, business logic, application programming interfaces (APIs), and hostname dependencies.

In our Back-End Engineer Career Path, you’ll learn what it takes to power business-critical apps, enabling companies to solve problems for themselves and their customers.

Software Engineer

Software Engineers perform a similar job as Web Developers, except their solutions are often run on users’ computers and devices instead of the internet. Even so, you can get all the tools you need to build applications on your laptop or within a cloud-native coding environment, making it easy to design apps full-time from home, a co-working space, or anywhere else with an internet connection.

Even when working remotely, you can enjoy an average full-time salary of $102,234, excluding bonuses, as a Software Engineer. Our Front-End Engineer, Back-End Engineer, and Full-Stack Engineer Career Paths can help you build the skills you need to get started.

Contract and freelance jobs you can do remotely

If a full-time role isn’t right for you, there are contract and freelance jobs that can be done from home. Here are a few options.

Cybersecurity Intelligence Analyst

A Cybersecurity Intelligence Analyst uses insights gained from studying cybersecurity threats to protect an organization and its networks. This is an ideal remote contract job because companies often prefer to hire intelligence analysts on a short-term basis, asking them to address a specific set of vulnerabilities instead of committing to a long-term role.

As a remote Cybersecurity Intelligence Analyst, your pay will depend on how many jobs you take, but the tasks will remain relatively uniform, involving:

• Identifying the latest threats on the landscape
• Pinpointing those most likely to impact your client
• Ensuring that they have the protections they need to address any vulnerabilities

Our Introduction to Cybersecurity course can help you get started. It will teach you the essential concepts to build a career as a Cybersecurity Intelligence Analyst.

Network Engineer

A Network Engineer designs, implements, and tests computer networks. You can do this remotely on a contract basis because you just have to log into a company’s on-premise server or cloud environment to analyze, test, and suggest ways to improve their networks.

In this position, you’ll likely have to work with other IT staff, including those that install physical components, like firewalls, routers, access points, and servers. Using videoconferencing technology, communicating with these and other stakeholders is straightforward and in many ways more efficient than trying to do it in person.

We have several courses to support a career as a Network Engineer. Courses such as Learn Node.js and Learn Go help you become familiar with some of the languages Network Engineers encounter as they provide secure, effective ways for companies to connect with web-based apps.

Database Engineer

A Database Engineer designs and implements database solutions to:

• Organize and process a company’s internal data
• Analyze data to improve the experiences of customers
• Provide the back-end database infrastructure that many applications depend on

As a Database Engineer working on a contract basis, you may be hired to design a solution, oversee its rollout, and then address any issues that arise in the future. You may also be charged with assessing the performance of existing databases and finding ways to improve or redesign them. Connecting to a database system remotely is simple with a VPN or a connection to a cloud-hosted solution.

Data analytics plays a pivotal role in the toolbox of a Database Engineer. Check out our Data Analyst Career Path to learn how to collect and analyze data.

Not only has the surge in popularity of remote work opened up more opportunities for professionals in tech to work from anywhere in the world with a reliable internet connection, but it’s also advanced how we work remotely — like improvements in virtual meeting technology and project management tools. If you’re looking to gain the skills and knowledge you’ll need to land a remote full-time role or take on remote freelance work, check out our online courses today.