Haystack 2022 Spring Release

These benefits aren’t just limited to techies; it can be argued that it’s also significantly beneficial for companies too. Rather than being limited by only having access to a talent pool within a commutable distance of their office, they’re able to employ and work with the best tech talent globally.

There’s also the cost of office space to consider, particularly as rent and overheads continue to skyrocket against a gloomy economic forecast. If an office is no longer required, that represents a significant saving, particularly for small companies.

It also goes without saying that a happy and engaged employee will be more productive and bought into the company’s mission - studies show that a happy employee will produce around 12% more work than an unhappy or disengaged one. Our surveys have shown that only 1.

3% of techies give working in-office as their preferred method of working, which begs the question why force techies back in the office if it’s ultimately going to lead to unhappier and less productive workers? Clearly, the advantages of remote work are not just limited to the techie themselves, and if companies implement remote working policies correctly and effectively they stand to reap the benefits also.

Whilst there are evidently multiple benefits to remote working, it can also bring challenges for both techies and companies to navigate. It can be very difficult to maintain team collaboration and company culture when your workers are potentially working different hours, or even living in different time zones.

The absence of the daily interactions that working in the office brings with it can make it difficult to create the level of camaraderie and teamwork that the office setting naturally provides, and is required for a company and it’s employees to be as successful as possible. Companies need to ensure they’re making the most of the digital tools available to keep their teams as connected as possible, and innovate ways to foster social interaction and team building in a remote team.

We also have to consider issues around cybersecurity, which can be much more difficult to manage in a fully distributed team. Companies need to invest in robust security measures and comprehensive training for employees to make sure sensitive information is protected.

Evidently, despite the benefits mentioned previously, remote work does also carry an element of risk for companies that needs to be considered when looking at the future of remote working.

We’re changing the game

We believe it should be as easy as possible for techies to find their dream roles on Haystack. As we approach the end of Q1, we’ve been laser focused on this, and we’ve introduced a raft of new features with this in mind. It’s time to put the power back into the hands of techies!

We’ve introduced an innovative new way to curate a collection of roles, before choosing which ones you want to apply to. As always, you’re completely anonymous on Haystack until you choose to make yourself visible to a particular company. Our new home page has made it easier to search for the companies you’re interested in, and now features content from some of our biggest advocates for when you need a break from job hunting. We’ve also added new filters for searching, new sorting options for your results, and improved our matching algorithm further increasing the relevance of the roles on your feed so they’re even more relevant. Power to the people techies!

Add to your haystack

You can now curate the opportunities and companies that interest you in one place - introducing your haystack! As you're scrolling, simply add any roles of interest to your haystack. Seen a company you like the look of, but they don’t have any suitable live roles for you? You can add them to your haystack too! Cut out the noise and build your collection of roles and companies that peak your interest.

You are still completely anonymous to any company in your haystack, until you choose otherwise. When you’re ready to be made visible, simply go to your haystack and register your interest in your favourite roles and companies. There’s no recruiters on Haystack, and we only want you to be contacted by companies you want to be contacted by. Your haystack is another step in putting the power back in the hands of techies!

We’ve also added the ability for employers to update you on the status of your application. We know there’s nothing worse than applying for a role and hearing nothing back, leaving you in the dark. Our new feature allows employers to provide in-app updates on any application you make with Haystack!

Our new home page is live

Have you had a chance to check out our new home page yet?

We’re making it even easier for you to find the companies you’re interested in. You can now browse by choosing what’s important to you. Interested in start-ups? Is FinTech the sector for you? Is company culture the most important factor in choosing a new role? There’s sections for all of this on the new home page! Our new Spotlight and Top Opportunities highlight the best and freshest roles and companies on Haystack. You don’t have to endlessly scroll through job boards anymore - let us do the heavy lifting for you!

We get it - looking for a new role can be exhausting. That’s why you can now access our Developer Stories from some of our top techies when you need a little downtime. We speak to devs from a range of backgrounds, from career changers and new techies right up to some of the biggest players in the game. If you’re looking for advice, inspiration, or just want a break from your job search, check out our Developer Stories on the home page.

We 've made it even easier to find your next tech role

One of the biggest improvements we’ve made in Q1 is our matching algorithm. We want to make your job search as easy as possible, and the roles you see on your feed should now be even more relevant. Want to search for roles yourself? We’ve made this even easier too! New filters help you refine exactly what you’re looking for and search for what's important to you, such as sector, remote preferences or company size. You can also now organise your results how you like, including by the newest or closest roles to you. It’s never been simpler to find your next tech role!

What does our dev team think?

** Danny**** - Product Designer** "Haystack's most recent update brings an overhaul to the homepage that surfaces more roles/companies and interesting insights. In a job market as saturated as tech, sometimes you need some inspiration for what to look for next and that’s what Haystack wants to provide."

** Matt**** - Software Engineer** "I've taken most pride in the improved filtering and matching. It took a big effort across the board and gives users a lot more control on the feed they're seeing."

** Rob**** - CTO** "Our start to 2022 has been primarily about improving the Haystack experience for techies and building out the most highly requested features in our mobile app. Looking ahead to Q2 we're improving the ability for interaction between techies and employers, providing new methods of communication and discovery."

On to Q2…

As we look ahead to Q2, we’re aiming to make your job search even easier.

Got a feature you’d love to see added to Haystack? We’d love to hear from you! Let us know at hello@haystackapp.io.