What I’ll say is this: the best thing to do is always take tax advice from the country you’re working or operating in.

Contractors and clients should follow the tax rules of the specific country and contractors should pay tax in that country, too.

The impact of IR35

While IR35 is the root cause of headaches for many companies and contractors at present, I’m confident that things will settle down quickly after the reforms are implemented. It went this way for the public sector just a few years ago.

It’s interesting to see how the changes are already impacting the market. There’s definitely been a rise in UK workers considering contracts abroad in countries such as Germany. Though, Germany in particular is equally as stringent with contract law, and many elements of IR35 were in fact built on Dutch legislation.

IR35 will undoubtedly affect the contract and permanent market, but we can’t be totally sure of the extent until it happens.

An important message to get across, though, is that EU companies should not hesitate to take on UK contractors just because of IR35.

Then, there’s Brexit

Of course, we’re all currently contending with IR35 as well as Brexit. When it comes to Brexit and workers’ rights, the most important thing is that we retain freedom of movement of workers once the transition period ends. So that EU companies can benefit from highly-skilled UK contractors, and vice versa.

Supporting companies through the process

Many companies – including those in Germany – are now opting to take on contractors through specific payroll companies, rather than do it themselves.

Take Talent, for example. Yes, clients are charged payroll costs, but we are fully set up to pay freelancers and PAYEs, determine contractor status and ensure their business is completely compliant with the applicable legislation.

Leaving this down to us helps to alleviate the risk of making incorrect IR35 assessments, which can lead to penalties, not to mention tarnished reputations. But it also gives clients the confidence to continue benefiting from skilled contractors – essential to many businesses – and to not adopt a blanket inside approach that could put contractors off working for them.

This is essentially what our Health Check workplace audit covers. We can go into a company to provide a thorough assessment of their existing freelancer base. If they employ overseas workers, we can check that they’re fully work compliant – i.e. that they have the right paperwork in place. And if not, we can advise on the best course of action.

Contractor or company, if you’re still perplexed by IR35 and need some support, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

This year’s theme is “Transforming Education”. It highlights efforts to make education more relevant, inclusive and accessible for all youth – something I have been passionate about making happen since Talent RISE first launched in Australia.

Our mission is to create pathways and life-changing opportunities for young people experiencing barriers to employment, with the ultimate goal of placing them into meaningful jobs and careers. However, the barriers young people face in finding work can often relate to their experiences in education. For example, in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and the US, gaps between the most affluent and the less advantaged open up from an early age, continue through education and are then carried forward into the workplace. The 2018 OECD report shows that an average of 84 per cent of young people within OECD countries complete upper secondary education. The UK rates slightly better, with 87.3 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds completing upper secondary schooling. Australia’s rate of Year 12 completion is lower than both, with an average school completion rate of 83 per cent, in the Northern Territory, this goes down to 72.8 per cent. New Zealand scores only slightly higher with an 83.5% completion rate.

These statics show that all too often young people are shoe-horned into traditional academic routes that don’t suit them, resulting in them leaving school before completing their final years. However, we know from speaking to many employers that traditional academic routes aren’t the only, or even best, ways into employment. As we move ever deeper into the digital age there is a whole range of new job roles emerging that require a unique and different skill set not necessarily addressed in the current education system.

This is why we are so passionate about providing real-world opportunities to young people that can, in turn, can help shape the direction of future careers and entire lives. So, to mark International Youth Day, we wanted to highlight the positive effect that opportunities have had on the incredible young people Talent RISE has worked with over the past years.

These are people like Benny and Katie, whose passion for video games design was hindered by the fact that they had no knowledge about how to convert their passion into a career. Through RISE, they got the chance to visit EA Games’ offices in Surrey and received some brilliant careers advice from EA’s Talent Acquisition team, giving them a clear picture of the path they need to take to reach their dream careers.

They’re also people like Reza, who was 18 when he escaped war-torn Afghanistan. He arrived in Australia by boat; alone, scared and with limited English. Like a lot of asylum seekers, the only employment he could get was low paid, part-time work with no opportunities for a career or progression. His dream of becoming a designer seemed impossible to him until he met Talent RISE.

Our global ambassador, Karl Lokko, knows better than anyone the power of opportunity. He grew up on a gang-ridden housing estate in South London, witnessed his first shooting at the age of 12 and went on to be shot at, stabbed, and saw many of his friends murdered as he rose through the ranks to become one of London’s most high-profile gang leaders. It wasn’t until the intervention of an anti-youth violence project that Karl was able to denounce his gang involvement and turn his life around.

Now a successful campaigner, poet, and public speaker, Karl works to reform gang culture and is passionate about helping all young people achieve their goals and find their purpose. To mark International Youth Day this year, he wrote and performed his brand new poem, ‘Everything but the building.’ which highlights the importance of inclusive education for all. Watch it here:

You might see many of the Talent team sharing their own stories of their #firstopportunity to help highlight how life changing these can be. If you believe in the need for change, join us in recognising International Youth Day. If you or your business is in a position to offer a young person a life changing opportunity please contact me or the RISE team, we have many young people who just need that important first opportunity.

Follow and join the conversation on social media using #FirstOpportunity.

And this less noisy version of advertising is proving effective. It’s now commonplace for people to mention, tag and connect with brands they buy from on social media. Customers are now part of the advertising strategy.

Today’s marketing and advertising approach is focused on building relationships, establishing trust and offering speedy feedback.

I have been doing some research and have found the following seven trends are helping brands make friends with their customers.

1. Live streaming

Do you click on the live-stream links? In surveys, consumers repeatedly say they’d rather watch a live video than read a blog or scroll through social media updates. Facebook reports that live videos receive six times more engagement than regular videos. In fact, figures from Go-Globe estimate that live streaming will account for 82% of all internet traffic by next year. Just look up and listen to Gary Vay-Ner-Chuk who has not only built his business and following largely off the back of his video content but who is a huge advocate for this medium to connect with your customers and prospective customers.

2. Instagram Stories

It didn’t take long for Instagram Stories to overtake Snapchat as users’ preferred 24-hours-and-they’re-gone photo and video sharing platform. According to an infographic by 99Firms.com, Instagram Stories has around 300 million active users each day – and a third of the most-viewed Stories come from businesses. Instagram Stories makes it easier to reach users where they already spend their time, and more brands are including it their social strategies.

3. Social listening tools

Brands are increasingly relying on bots to listen and respond on social. With so many users mentioning brands in their posts, it would be impossible for companies to keep track without some form of automation. Tools such as Hootsuite and Mention allow organisations to track conversations using specific words or phrases. These platforms provide insights to help improve a product, form a smoother customer experience, or inform their next marketing move. On Facebook Messenger alone there are currently more than 100,000 active chatbots gathering info, answering questions and taking orders.

4. Voice-assisted devices

Known as voice searches, digital assistants, Siri or Alexa, voice-assisted devices are growing in popularity. According to Google, 20% of all searches are voice. A survey by Episerver revealed that the number of consumers researching items via voice-assisted devices has increased 83% year-on-year. These figures have not gone unnoticed. Research by Salesforce suggests that 32% of marketing organisations are using voice-assisted devices to support their customer experience.

5. Connected TV

Connected TV allows users to stream content from the likes of Netflix, Hulu and YouTube – and they are hugely popular with consumers. Last year, 42% of UK households had a smart TV. As a result, advertisers are looking to it as a way to segment audiences on a larger scale. However, while marketers can aim ads at specific households, the platform doesn’t use cookies, so connecting to a specific individual is not easy.

6. Connected cars

The belief that cars exist to help us get from A to B are numbered. They are fast becoming places we can engage with the outside world. Sales of connected cars are up, predicted to increase to 19.5 million by 2022, and the more there are, the more advertisers will take notice. Connected cars know where you are, how you spend your free time and know what music you like. They even have external cameras to film you – and that data is going to pique advertisers’ interests. Buckle up – it’s going to be an interesting ride.

7. Predictive advertising

Consumers want experiences that are tailored for them. They have come to expect ads that reflect their interests and buying patterns. AI allows brands to know their customers and predict their behaviours. It can predict whether you’re likely to watch an entire advert – and optimise ad spend accordingly) – and tailor messages based on predefined rules.

Talent can help you recruit the technical knowledge you need to stay ahead of digital marketing and advertising trends. You need the right people and you need them now, contact the team at Talent to discusses options.

With the issue of diversity and inclusion increasingly occupying the corporate agenda, many forget that age is a big part of this debate. During a long career in the tech services and recruitment sector, I believe I have seen the value attributed to experience and age diminish.

So where are we today on the issue of age? Type the words ‘age’ and ‘tech’ into Google, and you’ll see a barrage of discussions and opinion pieces on the apparent age bias within the technology sector.

According to Forbes, age discrimination lawsuits are on the rise and big tech companies are involved in much of the age-related legal action. The State of Startups survey showed age bias in tech starts young. Start-up founders think industry ageism begins at 46 years old. Statistics show Facebook’s average employee age is 28.

Recently, Talent’s Simon Yeung shared some thoughts on diversity and inclusion and I was intrigued to see his article flooded with comments about ageism. Many people feel this is the most overlooked topic within the D&I landscape, and perhaps the final frontier of discrimination.

Over the years I have seen and known many people looking for work at a later stage of life, either through a desire for a new challenge, redundancy due to organisational change or even business owners who have exited their venture. Most have incredible skills, experience and wisdom but this situation often arrives unexpectedly and can be very daunting with confidence sometimes taking a hit. So what are the challenges they have faced?

Inherent views can create a feeling within us that if we’re of a certain age, we’ve over the hill. Outspoken ageism activist Ashton Applewhite says that’s not the case, we’re only entering the next vital and active stage of our lives. She’s right. Age brings maturity. You’re older. You’ve experienced more. Your candour and wisdom have a place.

Even if it does not always feel like it, age and knowledge is respected. The world nodded its head in agreement with Christine Lagarde’s eye roll at Ivanka Trump at recently at the G20 summit, a perfect example of knowledge and experience being valued more than youth, especially when the more important decisions are being made.

If you were born before 1995, does your career have a future in the tech and digital industry?

There are many things to feel demoralized about if you are an older person out of work, especially in the tech industry. But it is also an opportunity for you to stand up, and reinvent yourself if necessary.

Demonstrate your value

My advice to someone in their 20s or 50s is the same. Regardless of your age, you need to prove your value to earn a new opportunity. Show what you’ve done, how you did it, and how it was measured. Talking through how you’ve applied knowledge and experience to solve problems and generate results will demonstrate your value.

Tim Koehler, an innovation specialist with over 40 years of experience in the tech industry was featured in our global publication, Human: Global perspectives on diversity in tech. In the book, Tim discussed how he has encountered and worked hard to defy ageism. He is a perfect example of how sometimes a few greys are an asset, not a liability. Tim has often been included in meetings with large national organisations, partly for his managerial skills and partly for his age, as he added gravitas and weight to the emphasis the company was putting on the negotiations. But he also speaks of the many things he has done to stay relevant in a sector that is evolving and changing very quickly.

Check your attitude

There are occasions when mature age workers let themselves down with the wrong attitude. This can include a sense of entitlement around job title, status and income as well as a dismissive demeanour towards younger executives. It may be the case that you need to almost start again and therefore display flexibility and a different type of energy around these matters. If you have reached mature age and are still driven by the need to maintain an expensive lifestyle or support significant debt then that is not the problem of a potential new employer. Organise your private affairs so that you can approach your next assignment with the right attitude. Ultimately if you have a role with meaning, purpose and new learnings it will be better for everyone connected with you.

Perennials and millennials

Workplace analysts and futurists seem focused on looking at how millennials will transform the workplace in the next 20 years, but demographic trends confirm that the workforce will continue to be made up of a significant proportion of older workers and that they are a big part of the future of work. The United Nations estimates that by 2050, one in three people living in the developed world will be over 60, the population is ageing and living longer and healthier lives, so it makes sense that we should work longer.

Find where your experience, interests and aptitude fits best and study opportunities in this space. Research from Indeed shows that older tech workers stand out because of the essential managerial experience they provide. Young tech workers tend to seek out highly-skilled and specialised engineering and development roles – java, front-end developers etc. The roles distinct to older workers require more years of experience and responsibility.

Upskilling never ends

Out of date skills. Not young enough to innovate. These are the common misconceptions about workers over a certain age.  Learning and development are vital for the support of any employee. It’s thought that older employees don’t need as much training because they already ‘know their stuff’. I strongly disagree with this. Upskilling and training should not be capped at a certain age and some of the best ideas come out of incubator groups and workshops. There’s no shortage of options.

As a bonus, older workers tend to stick around longer than their younger counterparts. Job-hopping is costly and tiresome – having a significant impact on the bottom line. Almost always, experience is an asset, not a liability

Who runs the world?

The most powerful jobs in the world are held by the more mature in age. Currently the average age of Heads of Government around the globe is 59+ years with the 2 most powerful (USA and China) aged 73 and 66. The two wealthiest business founders in the world (Amazon and Microsoft) are 63 and 55 and the heads of Apple, IBM, and Oracle are 58, 61 and 74. Based on research by the Harvard Business Review, the average age of start-up founders is 40+ and the most successful founders on average started their companies when they were 45 years old. Facebook is the exception, not the rule. I am stating this, not to point out that others have done it, and so should you. I am highlighting the power and resilience that comes with age and experience: smart companies should tap into this.

Become an advocate for age diversity

So there is no doubt that age diversity in the workplace and life should be celebrated and very actively encouraged. At Talent,

we have a huge opportunity to shape the future of the tech workforce, as diverse workplaces start at the hiring process. We feel that we have a duty to encourage the companies we work with to look beyond stereotypes and find exceptional people from all backgrounds and ages to join their teams. We know that it’s not only the right thing to do for society, but it’s proven to be better for business.

Bringing a broader mix of people and their outlook, experience, energy and thinking into your team will help you outperform your competitors. Companies embracing diversity in all its glory have lower attrition rates, increased profitability and a more engaged workforce.

Automation is playing a big part, too, but this has been met with apprehension. A total 90% of respondents to a recent Quartz survey believe that over the next five years, up to half of jobs will be lost due to automation.

While it would quite extreme to predict an I, Robot scenario where humans are subservient to their automated counterparts, it’s almost a given that many jobs currently undertaken by humans will be made redundant in the not too distant future. And other jobs – namely, those that are mundane and time-consuming – will be passed on to robots, freeing up our time for other tasks.

As these technologies impact demand for future jobs and inform the skills required for the roles of tomorrow, employees across the globe have begun taking proactive steps to refine their skills and future-proof their careers. If you’re keen on joining them, here are four tips you might find useful:

1. Identify ‘threats’ – and prepare for them

Consider the most pressing threats to both your role and industry as a whole; for instance, these could be new systems, software or working practices, or trends that could result in skills or knowledge gaps. Once these threats have been identified, think of how you can prepare for them – this might involve training in new software or systems, or keeping ahead of the curve on current trends by reading journals and reports, listening to podcasts and online seminars, and attending events.

2. Dedicate time to upskilling

It may very well be that some of your core skills will become redundant in a few years from now. One way to get around this is to develop skills in an emerging field relevant to your role. Whether you fit self-teaching around your current job or undertake a formal course, becoming an expert in a trend or skill of tomorrow is a great way to ensure your job doesn’t fall obsolete.

3. Be willing to adapt

A reluctance to adapt will be one of the greatest hindrances to future-proofing your career. The more open and willing you are to gain new skills and adopt new ways of working, the better. So, say ‘yes’ to things that push you out of your comfort zone, be open to any new opportunity that comes your way, and make sure your own, professional development remains front of your mind at all times.

4. Fine-tune your soft skills

Unlike some work-based skills, soft skills will never become redundant, because ‘bots are unable to emulate them. Focusing on and fine-tuning skills linked to areas such as empathy, teamwork, communication, leadership and relationship building will give you a leg-up in your job, and help you to stand out from the rest when searching for your next opportunity.

Speaking of your next opportunity, if you’re looking for your next job in tech, why not turn to the expert team at Talent International? Give us a call today to find out more.

Mark Zuckerberg is one of the world’s most well known entrepreneurs, and for good reason. At just 19 he created Facebook with the help of some of his fellow Harvard students, and the social media platform would grow to become a phenomenon that redefined the meaning of online relationships. His journey is an inspiration for people in IT careers and entrepreneurs alike.

Here are some of the most important things we can can learn from Zuckerberg to become successful IT entrepreneurs.

1. Do it for you

With any career move or new business idea, there is no guarantee that it’s going to work out. Chances are, you will see very few results at the beginning, and you may working on and believing in your vision alone for a long time. Because of this, Mark Zuckerberg advises that you should find and idea you’re passionate about and launch the project for yourself.

“The most important thing that entrepreneurs should do is pick something they care about, work on it, but don’t actually commit to turning it into a company until it actually works,” he said in an interview with Sam Altman, president of startup acceleration company Y Combinator.

2. Make innovation your focus

Your motivation is a big part of the success of your idea. If you are creating an IT startup with the intention of just making money or being important, you are not going to be fully committed to the project and are probably doing it for the wrong reasons. Instead, Zuckerberg says you should focus on coming up with a new solution to a particular problem, and it will evolve from there.

“I always think that you should start with the problem that you’re trying to solve in the world and not start with deciding that you want to build a company,” he said to Altman.

“And the best companies that get built are things that are trying to drive some kind of social change even if it’s just local in one place more than starting out because you want to make a bunch of money or have a lot of people working for you or build some company in some way.”

3. Work to make new connections

Digital connectivity has changed not only the social landscape, but the business one as well. The world has been made smaller by technology and it’s easier for companies to reach international markets, leading to a rise in digital recruitment as businesses seek the personnel they need to cross online borders.

“You’re going to be what helps this process of global integration work in a way that works for everyone and not just some,” he said. “I believe we are better off in a world where we are trading and networking and communicating and sharing ideas. That also means that cultures are colliding and sometimes that’s disruptive and people get worried. You’re the bridge. You’re the glue.”

4. Think long term

When you’re developing your startup, it’s easy to get caught up with short term goals. But jumping prematurely on an opportunity could cause you to miss out on something better later down the track. This was the challenge for Zuckerberg when Yahoo offered him $1 billion for Facebook. He turned it down, and was able to become the multi-billion dollar company we know today.

“One of the hardest parts for me was actually when Yahoo offered to buy the company for a lot of money. That was a turning point in the company,” he told Altman. “It was the first time we had to look at the future and say, ‘Wow, is what we’re going to build be actually more meaningful than this?'”

5. Surround yourself with the right people

Finally, Mark Zuckerberg is well known for his leadership ability, and a big part of this is hiring the right team to help the business reach its goals. No one can do everything on their own, and once your tech startup has become established, you need to know when it’s time to bring on more staff to enable it to expand further. Whether you are looking to fill app developer roles or someone to code your new software, you should surround yourself with the highest quality talent that is going to be committed to achieving your vision for the future.

When you’re ready to grow your startup, working with an IT recruiter is a great way to ensure you find the right candidates. Contact Talent International to find out how we can give you the support you need to achieve your entrepreneurial goals.