As if recruiting IT talent wasn’t difficult enough in the past few years, things are becoming even more challenging due to a variety of trends. Here’s a look at a few to help ensure you don’t get left behind:
Candidates are using side doors.
As one of the leading IT staffing agencies in Kansas City, Morgan Hunter knows it wasn’t that long ago that there was a standard procedure in place for the job application process. A candidate would come across an ad, apply to it, and wait to hear back from the hiring manager.
However, fewer and fewer job candidates – especially those in IT – are following that model. Today, they’re reaching out to friends and colleagues to get in through the side doors. They’re also trying to get on the radars of company directors via social media. While referrals are great, the lack of protocol can be confusing and problematic for a hiring manager.
Practical tip: To manage this trend – and build a solid talent network before you need to hire – create a referral program for your existing tech team. Leverage the power of their networks to help you find the people you need, when you need them.
Job descriptions are more engaging.
Fewer and fewer employers are including the traditional laundry list of technical skills they want in a job candidate. Instead, they’re spending more time and space promoting the company and its culture in order to appeal to top candidates.
Practical tip: When highlighting requirements, don’t list your top 20. Instead, prioritize them up by categories – e.g. “must have skills” and “nice-to-have skills.” This way, candidates will better be able to determine whether they are a good fit for the position and you will get a more qualified applicant pool as a result.
Companies are always recruiting.
In this day and age, you can’t start recruiting when a job opens up. Instead, you need to always be on the lookout for talent and engaging them on a regular basis so you stay on their radar. That way, when you do need to hire, you have robust resources to draw from already; you’re not starting from scratch.
Practical tip: If you don’t take the time to recruit on a regular basis, you’re going to wind up with the B-list talent when you really need a star. So even if you don’t need to hire at the moment, start recruiting now.
Companies are building employment brands.
When it comes to social media, not only are companies able to more easily connect with job prospects, but they can also create awareness and generate interest in their employment brand. On the flip side, other people – like disgruntled applicants who never hear back after the interview – can also shape the message the public is receiving about a company’s brand.
Practical tip: While you can’t control what everyone says about you, you can ensure that everyone – including applicants, new hires and existing employees – all have a positive experience with your company so that you can be proud of what they broadcast about you to their social media networks.
Need more help hiring for your IT team? Let Morgan Hunter know.
As one of the leading IT staffing agencies in Kansas City, we specialize in recruiting technology professionals, ranging from Chief Information Officers to Desktop Support. All candidates are rigorously screened by our consultants to ensure their technical compatibility, and to identify the personality traits that will allow them to blend smoothly into your organization.
Contact us today to learn more.