Lewis joined us just over a year ago as an Apprentice Web Developer.

Since then, he’s become an integral part of our Front-end Development team, working on a range of projects whilst also completing an NVQ in Software & Web Development.

Hi Lewis. So to get started, what made you do an apprenticeship in the first place?

One of the main reasons why I chose to pursue an apprenticeship placement was because I wanted to get hands on practical experience in an office environment, working as part of a team of talented individuals. I wanted to expand my knowledge of programming but at the same time get an insight into how software companies and development teams work.

Would you recommend an apprenticeship for other people looking to get into software and web development?

Of course! If you are a practical and hands on learner then I definitely think an apprenticeship is the way to go. When I was learning about web development and software development in the past, there were a lot of concepts and processes that I struggled to see how they could be used by development teams. Though my apprenticeship, not only have I learned a lot more theory but I have also been able to apply it during my day to day activities and put two and two together.

Can you tell us about your day-to-day role – what do you do at Hireserve?

My role as a web developer includes me helping to create and update some of the front end portals that our customers use to display jobs and allow candidates to apply. I try to make sure that the candidate has a seamless experience when applying for a role through the front end portal. When creating the portal I also try to make sure that the candidate doesn’t know that they are using our software – for example, the look and feel will be the same going from the main site to our careers portal.  I also help to solve any issues that customers are having with the careers portal website and I support the team when it comes to rebranding customer career sites.

What’s been your favourite project so far?

There have been many interesting projects. I mostly like the ones where I am able to express some design aspects that I have picked up from looking at modern websites. One of my favourite projects was creating a demo portal for a University as I was able to look at their site and take a lot of their elements to apply to our careers portal. This meant I could create a modern layout for the jobs list and application forms. Another favourite is a recent project for Harris Federation, making the careers portal mobile responsive so that users had a good experience when using a mobile device. Again I was able to use some cool features that I had seen all around the web to make the mobile experiences quick and easy.

 

Based on your experience, what do you think are the essential ingredients for a great careers site?

From my experience a great careers site is one that makes it easy for that candidate to apply for a role on any device. With mobile phones and tablets becoming more powerful, candidates are now more likely to apply for a role on a mobile device. This means that having a website that is responsive is a must. Also important is making it easy for a user to find what role they are looking for and having the ability to apply via platforms such as LinkedIn.

What is your favourite part of Hireserve’s company culture?

What’s great about Hireserve’s culture is the calm and friendly atmosphere, you can feel free to ask any question when stuck as everyone is super friendly and willing to lend a hand. Also the pool table is nice 😛

And finally – what’s top of your Christmas list this year?

Hmm …

I actually haven’t thought what I want for Christmas … I’ll go with a new PlayStation 4 🙂

Find out more

Meet Paul – and delve into the world of recruitment software reporting

Say hi to Archana – and find out more about our service excellence

Anton’s turn – can he help you keep your recruitment software more secure?

 

About the author

Tristan Potter

Tristan has a decade's worth of experience writing content and copy for organisations across Bristol and the Southwest of England. He has written on a diverse range of topics, including technology, philosophy, politics, and recruitment. His writing has appeared in The Drum, HR Grapevine, and The Guardian, among other publications. He joined Hireserve in March 2022.