Hi there!
I’m Rasan Samarasinghe, the founder of itpro.lk. I warmly welcome you to ITPro Insights, the official blog of ITPro.lk.
Here, I’ll be sharing valuable content for both job seekers and recruiters. Whether you’re looking for your next career opportunity or seeking top tech talent, this blog will have something for you.
I’d love to hear your ideas and suggestions for topics you’d like us to cover. Thank you for joining us!
Warm regards,
Rasan
Many freelancers or solopreneurs think about expanding their work into a business venture someday. Many, at least try, and some actually realize their dream.
Transitioning from freelancer to business owner involves numerous tasks and significant changes. This post aims to talk about hiring and approaches you can take.
Hiring interns or junior-level helpers at a low cost is often the first step many take when moving from solo work to team-based work. Especially in self-funded setups, this approach is common due to its lower financial burden. Interns can often be found with minimal effort and short lead times.
However, training them takes time. Without a clear plan for mentorship, juniors may struggle, underdeliver, or leave early. Their output may affect timelines or quality if not closely supervised. There’s a risk that, instead of saving time, the workload increases. Simply treating interns as cheap labor tends to backfire unless there’s readiness to invest in their development.
Choosing to hire someone more skilled or experienced is a different kind of move often a strategic one. This route appears more common when the goal is to improve creative quality, scale faster, or delegate leadership responsibilities.
Though this option comes with a higher cost and sometimes emotional challenges around hiring someone more capable. It often leads to stronger long-term outcomes. It may require higher pay or revenue sharing, and a shift in how leadership is viewed. In these cases, the founder’s role moves from doing everything to guiding, enabling, and removing obstacles for others.
Interestingly, high-talent individuals tend to attract more talent. When skilled people are brought in early, they often shape the team culture and help draw in others of similar quality.
A pattern observed in some of the most successful transitions is a hybrid path. Hiring one highly skilled person first, even at a higher cost, to help set up strong systems and processes. Once that foundation is in place, junior hires can be added and trained within a more stable structure.
In most cases, the first few hires define the direction, quality, and culture of the team. Whether the goal is scale, quality, or freedom, those early decisions tend to echo throughout the future of the business.
“Learn the fundamentals so you’ll succeed in your endeavor” This is a common piece of advice people often give. You’ll frequently hear it when asking how to secure your career or how to learn a new technology, etc.
In today’s world, overflowing with knowledge and information. This advice is vague and it leaves us with unanswered questions. What exactly should I learn as fundamentals? How can I be sure I’m learning the right things?
So when someone says “learn the fundamentals”, the right response is:
“Which fundamentals, and how deep, based on what I’m building?”
Necessary if you’re doing hardware design, building compilers, or working with embedded systems. Not necessary for typical software developers.
This area consists of concepts CPU cycles, memory hierarchy (RAM vs cache), processes, threads, virtual memory, file systems.
This is necessary if you’re into systems programming, performance tuning, or OS development.
This is about syntax, parsing, type systems, interpreters vs compilers.
This is necessary if you’re building tools (like linters, and transpilers), designing new languages, or deep into back-end design.
Concepts and implementation of arrays, linked lists, trees, hashmaps, sorting, recursion, time/space complexity.
This is essential for all developers. They underlie everything, from efficient code to debugging performance issues.
This is about the theory of HTTP, TCP/IP, DNS, client-server model.
This is necessary if you build web apps, mobile apps, APIs, etc. But you don’t need to know TCP flags or OSI model layers deeply unless you’re in DevOps or network engineering.
This is about the design of databases, SQL, indexing, normalization, and transactions.
Learning databases is essential for most types of app developers. You can’t avoid data persistence.
This is about learning Git, CI/CD, testing, and packaging tools.
It is required for modern software development in teams and production settings.
Software architecture becomes fundamental once you move from building apps that “just work” to systems that are “designed to last.” Architecture is essential at certain points in a developer’s or engineer’s journey. especially when working on large-scale, long-lived, or team-based systems.
The fundamentals required for AI vary depending on the role you’re aiming for.
whether you’re a machine learning engineer, data scientist, AI researcher, ML ops engineer, or even a developer using AI APIs these are the core knowledge areas required for that.
Final thoughts:
My list is limited to few common IT and Computer related fields. There are many more.
When learning fundamentals, you don’t need to “boil the ocean” of computer science. As a practical use, go just deep enough to understand what your tools abstract away. And just go deeper when things break, or performance matters.
Many people struggle with this, especially now when everyone has a polished CV, LinkedIn title, a fancy website, or a polished social media profile claiming they’re a “guru” or “specialist.”
Here are a few ways to cut through the noise and identify real experts who actually get things done.
Look for results, not just words. Have they solved real problems? Delivered measurable outcomes? Helped others achieve success? You can ask questions such as “Can you show me examples of your work?” or “What did you achieve in your last project?”
Trusted referrals are gold. What do clients, peers, or people from the industry say about them? Remember, true testamonials come from unexpected people in unexpected situations or places.
Real experts don’t jump to solutions instantly. They ask smart questions, dig deeper into your problem, and customize their solutions. They sometimes say, “I don’t know, but I’ll find out”.
They speak with clarity and depth, not just buzzwords. If someone can explain a complex concept in a way that makes sense to you, that’s a strong sign they know their stuff.
If you’re hiring or working with someone, start with a small project or trial period. If they deliver value early, it’s a good sign.
Real experts are always learning, adapting, and improving. They stay current and aren’t stuck in outdated methods. You can ask questions like “What’s the latest thing you learned or tried in your work?”
These are just a few points. You can utilize the ones you prefer to strategize and succeed in your recruitment.
Watch video: How does elon musk choose an employee?
Figuring out the right salary for your role can be tricky. Everyone seems to have an opinion, but how do you know what’s real?
People love to talk about salaries on social media and in casual conversations. Remember that opinions are often Trojan horses for hidden agendas. People often have their own reasons for saying what they do. Sometimes, people are motivated to post false numbers to influence opinions and set certain expectations in the job market. Also, they might exaggerate to look good and impress others in public while downplaying their earnings when talking to coworkers. It’s hard to know what’s true.
More structured than opinions. Helps to collect more information, including the demographics of the participants so you can analyse them better. But since the answers are self-reported, this information can contain biases and false information.
The most reliable understanding of salaries often comes through proper research. A mix of different sources including informal conversations, online surveys, and platforms like Glassdoor. In some cases, information gathered directly from companies adds valuable perspective. When data is collected from multiple angles and cross-checked, the result tends to be a more accurate and balanced view.
Not all sources hold equal weight. Information from trusted or direct sources usually carries more value than unverified hearsay. In practice, combining many sources while being mindful of their reliability often brings researchers closer to the actual market range.
Finally: Salary details are usually considered confidential in most workplaces, which makes finding accurate numbers challenging. No single source can provide the full picture. It seems that a layered, evidence-based approach is the closest thing to a scientific method when trying to understand compensation standards.
Salary transparency is still a fresh concept in Sri Lanka. While it’s not yet widespread, we’re starting to see some early trends emerge locally as companies experiment with openness about pay.
Yes, salary transparency is a growing global trend, especially in places like the U.S. and Europe, where laws and worker expectations are pushing companies to share pay details. A real-world example is Buffer, a tech company that adopted full salary transparency in 2013. They publicly share every employee’s salary online, from the CEO to entry-level staff. Buffer says this openness builds trust and boosts job applications, proving it’s not just a passing fad but a shift toward fairness and accountability in workplaces worldwide. Sri Lanka might be behind, but the global movement could inspire change here too.
Posting salaries in job ads can attract the right candidates. People who know what they want and won’t waste time if the pay doesn’t match. It also cuts recruitment effort by filtering out mismatches early, saving companies time and resources.
However, transparency isn’t all smooth sailing. One challenge is employee morale. As an example, at Reddit, which removed salary negotiations to promote fairness, some workers still felt uneasy comparing their pay to new hires, showing how openness can spark tension. Another issue is competitors poaching talent. If a rival firm sees your salary range, they might offer more to lure staff away.
Candidates need to watch out for tricks too.
Bait and switch recruitment: Some companies post high salaries in ads but never hire. Their real goal is to look like a top paying company.
Selective transparency: Organizations might display salaries only for their highest-paying roles while keeping compensation for average positions undisclosed.
Range manipulation: Some employers post extremely wide salary ranges (e.g., “50,000-120,000 based on experience”) that provide little meaningful information
Salary transparency is creeping into Sri Lanka, following a real global trend. It promises better hiring and trust but brings challenges and pitfalls too. For now, both companies and candidates here need to tread carefully as this idea takes root.
When applying for jobs, your CV is crucial in getting noticed and securing an interview. In a previous post, I discussed how simply enhancing a CV isn’t the only factor affecting your job search. However, this doesn’t mean we should neglect optimizing our CVs before applying.
Personally, when reviewing or helping someone enhance their CV, I notice two main types of optimization.
First, there are CVs optimized for shortlisting. These CVs are designed to pass applicant tracking systems (ATS) and capture recruiters’ attention. They include relevant keywords from the job description, a clean, structured format, and highlights of your skills and achievements. The goal is to get past initial filters and increase your chances of an interview.
Second, there are CVs optimized for truthfulness. These CVs focus on accuracy and honesty. Instead of manipulating content to match job descriptions, they reflect your real skills and experience, avoid exaggeration or buzzwords, and provide a clear, authentic view of your career. This builds realistic expectations and fosters trust with potential employers.
Which type is better? That’s the question I keep pondering. I’ve noticed most people try to make their CVs pass computer filters and catch a recruiter’s eye. Personally, I believe prioritizing truthfulness is most important, something often lacking in today’s job market. When everyone’s worried about keywords and how their CV looks to computers. I’m wondering if we’ve lost sight of the value of genuine representation in our professional narratives. It’s a thought I wanted to share and explore.
This is my personal opinion. I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
I run ITPro.lk, a platform that processes IT job applications daily. A frequently asked question is: “I am applying for jobs, but I am not getting a good response. Can you review my CV and tell me how I can improve it?”. From what I’ve seen, most CVs are well-written and don’t need major improvements. The internet is already flooded with CV guides, YouTube Gurus, templates, and services, which has helped to raise this standard.
The real challenge today is discovering the truth about candidates and the companies/roles they apply for. Both sides often present polished, unrealistic versions of themselves online, creating a trust gap in the employer-candidate relationship.
This reminds me of how relationships worked before the internet and social media. Back then, connections were deeper and more genuine. Today, the initial contact is easy and cheap. Despite better communication tools, the quality of relationships has declined today. The same is happening between employers and candidates.
Focusing too much on perfecting CVs to solve employment issues is like blaming your horoscope for relationship problems. It misses the real issues of authenticity and trust.
Have you ever applied for a job and waited weeks or even months without hearing back? You’re not alone. Many job seekers face this frustrating situation, and it often leaves them wondering: Do I have the right to know the status of my job application? Let’s break this down in simple terms.
When you order food through Uber Eats or track a package from an e-commerce site, you expect updates. Why? Because you’ve paid for a service. But job applications are different. Applying for a job is free. Companies don’t charge you to submit your resume or attend an interview. Since it’s a free process, some argue that candidates can’t demand updates or transparency. After all, you’re not paying for the service.
But here’s the thing. Just because something is free doesn’t mean it shouldn’t come with basic courtesy. While companies aren’t legally obligated to share application statuses, doing so can create a positive impression and build trust with candidates.
Whether or not to share the status of a job application is entirely up to the company. Some organizations have automated systems that send updates at every stage, like “application received,” “under review,” or “position filled.” Others prefer a more personal touch, where recruiters or hiring managers communicate directly with candidates.
The approach a company takes often depends on its values and resources. Automated systems are efficient, but they can feel impersonal. On the other hand, human interaction takes more time and effort but can leave a lasting positive impression on candidates.
In Sri Lanka, ghosting, a suddenly cutting off communication without explanation is a common practice, not just in dating but also in professional settings. If someone doesn’t want to deliver bad news or feels uncomfortable saying “no,” they might simply disappear. This cultural tendency often spills over into recruitment, leaving job seekers in the dark about their application status.
While ghosting might seem like the easier option, it can harm a company’s reputation. Candidates who are ignored may share their negative experiences, which can deter others from applying in the future.
At ITPro.lk, we believe in the power of human connection. Our platform allows recruiters to manage candidate application statuses and notes internally, but we also encourage them to communicate these updates to applicants. Whether it’s through automated emails or personal calls, keeping candidates informed is a small step that can make a big difference.
So, is knowing the status of your job application a right or a privilege? While it may not be a formal right, it’s certainly a matter of respect and professionalism. Companies that prioritize transparency and communication not only stand out but also build stronger relationships with potential employees.
What do you think? Should companies be more transparent about job application statuses? Or is it okay to leave candidates waiting without updates? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
Living in a world full of choices and opportunities, we are often influenced by others when making decisions. But are we truly making the right choices when it comes to important matters? I wanted to create a self-assessment survey to help people figure out the ideal career path tailored to them. This is specifically designed for individuals looking to make a choice in the IT field.
For the initial version, I’ve kept it ultra-simple. The survey consists of just four multiple-choice questions. If you’d like to try it out, here’s the link: https://itpro.lk/mypath
The first question gathers input about the user’s preferred tasks, while the remaining three validate the initial choice. Based on their answers, the survey suggests career paths best aligned with their preferences.
Recommending Software Development:
Recommending Data Science/Analysis:
Recommending UI/UX Design:
Recommending Cybersecurity:
Recommending Quality Assurance:
Recommending IT Academic:
Recommending IT Management (Project/Product):
Recommending to try different paths
If the answers provided by users don’t align with any of the options, the system suggests exploring different paths to discover the most suitable career for them.
That’s all for now, folks! 🙂 I know it’s a very basic tool, and its recommendations shouldn’t be taken too seriously. I just recommend giving it a try for fun. I’m working on a more advanced version to share with you in the future.
Managing HR can be challenging for startups and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the software and IT industry in Sri Lanka. Balancing core business activities with HR responsibilities often strains limited resources. This is where outsourcing HR processes comes into play. Outsourcing can help businesses focus on growth while ensuring efficient HR management. But is it the right choice for your company? This article aims to explore the pros and cons.
Outsourcing HR processes can cover a wide range of activities, including:
Payroll Processing: Calculating salaries, deductions, and taxes, and ensuring timely payments.
Recruitment and Staffing: Outsourcing recruitment tasks such as sourcing candidates, conducting initial screenings, and coordinating interviews.
Employee Benefits Administration: Managing employee benefits programs, including enrollment, changes, and compliance.
Training and Development: Outsourcing training program design and delivery, skills development, and compliance training.
HR Compliance and Legal Support: Ensuring compliance with labor laws, regulations, and handling legal matters related to HR.
Performance Management: Implementing performance appraisal systems, monitoring employee performance, and providing feedback.
Employee Relations: Handling grievances, disputes, and fostering positive employee relations.
Outsourcing HR processes can be more cost-effective than hiring a full-time HR team. You only pay for the services you need, which helps manage budgets better.
HR outsourcing firms have specialized knowledge and experience. They stay updated with the latest HR practices and legal requirements, ensuring compliance and best practices.
By outsourcing HR tasks, you can focus on your core business activities like product development, marketing, and sales, which can drive growth and innovation.
Outsourcing allows for easy scaling of HR services as your company grows. You can adjust the level of services according to your needs without the hassle of hiring and training new staff.
Professional HR firms have streamlined processes and advanced technologies to handle HR tasks efficiently, leading to quicker and more accurate results.
Outsourcing means giving up some control over HR functions. This can be a concern if you prefer direct oversight of HR activities.
Working with an external provider might lead to communication gaps. Clear and constant communication is essential to ensure they understand your company culture and needs.
Sharing sensitive employee information with a third party can pose security and privacy risks. Ensure the outsourcing firm has strong data protection measures in place.
Relying heavily on an outsourcing firm can make you dependent on their services. If they fail to deliver or experience issues, it can impact your HR operations.
Outsourced HR services might not always perfectly align with your company’s unique needs. Customization can be limited compared to having an in-house team.
Outsourcing HR processes can offer significant benefits, especially for startups and SMEs. It can lead to cost savings, and access to expertise, and allow you to focus on core business functions. However, it’s crucial to weigh the pros and cons carefully. Consider your company’s specific needs, potential risks, and the importance of maintaining control over HR functions. With the right approach, outsourcing HR can be a strategic move that supports your company’s growth and success.
