Recruiting the right team member for a competitive tech role can be a significant challenge. This guide explores the best strategies you should consider.
The global tech industry was forecast to reach $5 trillion in 2021. It is constantly expanding. However some estimates suggest that by 2030, the labor skill shortage in this industry will reach 4.5 million workers. As such, businesses will compete for top talent to fill crucial tech roles. That’s why you need to consider your chosen hiring strategies carefully. These are the five options you should explore.
Focus On The Right Areas
You should target sites that skilled tech candidates frequent online. Ideally, you are looking for a candidate that is highly skilled with the right level of experience. These candidates are already aware of their value. They may even be in high paid positions. They won’t be actively searching for new roles and you may not find them in your CRM. These workers can afford to wait for the right opportunity to present itself.
Many of these high-paid candidates won’t even have a LinkedIn profile because for them, it’s redundant. However, there are still areas you can search online. For instance, you find them on Reddit. Reddit is often frequented by the top minds in key industries. You may want to start your search with subreddits that are connected to the tech industry. Alternatively, you could set up An AMA as a leader of your field. This could help attract high levels of engagement from top talent. From there, you can access candidates who are of interest through their DMs.
You could also post a pain point for your business on StackOverflow and wait for professional responses.
Headhunt Companies
As mentioned, the best candidates for your tech roles are probably employed working for top companies. You will need to focus on headhunting them away from their role. To do this, you need to identify target companies they are likely already working for.
If you are filling a networking role, consider exploring businesses that depend on their network running effectively. If you are filling a security role, explore organizations that require advanced setups. Examples could include major banks and health organizations.
You may also want to explore linkedin job advertisements for the job you are attempting to fill. You can then pinpoint businesses that already have teams like this in place with the skills you need. Once you identify a company with the talent you require, you can start reaching out to gain their interest.
Remember, the candidates you want will likely be happy with their level of pay. So, you should focus your marketing on presenting a problem that they need to solve. This should help you gain the interest of the top talent who are keen for new challenges.
Use A Recruitment Agency
If you are filling competitive roles such as network engineering jobs, consider using a leading tech recruiter. Your competitors are already exploring this option and it may be giving them the upper hand.
Recruiters act like gatekeepers on the job market. They represent top talent who won’t be applying for positions. Instead, they will wait for their client to present them with an exciting new opportunity. The only way you can reach these candidates is by liaising with the agencies that represent them. Many tech companies believe recruitment agencies are worth their weight in gold.
Using a leading tech recruitment agency will provide other benefits too. They will already know where to find the talent. They will also have a list of candidates in their CRM, and in the best place to find the right candidates you need.
Campus Recruitment
Many top tech candidates have already found their dream role. However, this isn’t true for everyone. There’s one notable exception. Top talent from college campuses are only just starting to be headhunted. This provides you with a unique and time sensitive opportunity. Candidates who are fresh out of college or still studying will be more open to new opportunities. You need to focus on attracting this talent to your business and educating them at precisely the right time.
This is why you should focus on campus recruitment initiatives. Pinpoint local and international tech campuses that interest you. If you’re filling network engineering jobs, then it makes sense to recruit using a network engineer you already have on your team. Candidates will respond more to this compared with a recruiter who may not be able to address the issues they want to discuss.
Present Your Business As Flexible
Next, you should ensure that your business does come across as flexible. Candidates are aware that there is no longer a profound requirement to work from an office address. 28% of professionals will be operating remotely in the US over the next several years. When you advertise a tech role, ensure that you stress the level of flexibility you can provide. Candidates expect a positive work/life balance. Of course, this is a balancing act. You still need to highlight that your business has a strong team culture in place. This is a driving force that often determines whether a candidate accepts a position.
There are numerous strategies that you can explore when hiring for tech roles in a competitive landscape. For instance, you should not underestimate the power of headhunting. Candidates for positions like this want to feel valued and sought after. They want to be chased. So if you are aware of top talent, you must be active in pursuing them for your business. You should also pursue candidates regardless of whether they advertise they are open to new positions or not. A candidate may not be active on the job market but the right pitch can gain their interest.
