4 Ways to Solve Your Technical Recruiting Woes
Industries today are facing many challenges with their recruiting at a time when attracting and retaining talent is critical, and roles in technology are vital for your continued growth. The Tech positions you’re seeking are necessary to keep up with the ever-changing digital business landscape and consumer marketplace.
According to a PWC Pulse Survey from 2022, 77% of executives say that getting and keeping the right talent is crucial for their growth. At the same time, 60% of executives cite digital transformations as their most critical growth driver.
Putting these two statistics together makes it easy to see that technical recruiting is essential in 2022 and beyond. However, getting people in the door is still a struggle.
Companies need to attract talent fast. But how? Keep reading for some helpful tips to address the issues you are likely facing with technical recruiting.
In 2021, the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) reported that it takes an average of 27 days to fill a new position. However, top prospects are generally off the market in about ten days.
This timeline is even worse in technical recruiting. For instance, it takes over 40 days on average to hire a software engineer.
These statistics indicate that companies need to not only act faster, but they need to act smarter. Many candidates will drop in the middle of the consideration process; they might choose to stay with their current company, follow another lead, or take an offer.
You still need to gather information, do interviews, and get approval from various stakeholders as part of the hiring process, but there are ways that your company can do this more efficiently. To speed up the process, try the following:
Try using one or two people to provide recommendations before conducting larger-scale interviews. Finding time for a team of engineers to interview a new candidate can be difficult. So only take this step if the candidate seems like a very good fit.
Once the interview is complete—make a decision. Do all of the work ahead of time (reviewing references, educational records, etc.) so you can decide right away whether this person is someone you want to offer.
Talented candidates have a lot of options. Your company has to get their attention and keep it throughout the hiring process (and beyond). One of the best ways you can catch candidates’ attention is to build a strong brand and company culture.
Good internal branding will not only attract potential hires, but it will attract the right hires—someone who will fit in with your culture.
Creating an internal brand is not easy. It takes considerable time and effort. However, the potential reward can be significant. It will not only help recruiting efforts, but it can often improve employee morale and help with retention as well.
If you have never thought about your company’s internal brand or culture, it is never too late to start. Consider the following questions as you work through this process.
Consider using social media as a way to highlight your company culture. Post news about employees, such as awards or accolades. Highlight inclusivity, wellness activities, service efforts, or whatever else makes your company unique.
Communication is key when hiring for a highly technical position. A simple job description that sets out the education and experience someone needs to qualify might not be enough to encourage the right person to apply. Even listing out the benefits might not be enough.
Instead, describe the day-to-day operations or expectations. Include whether there is room for growth in the role, how the candidate would fit in or interact with their team, and any other relevant information.
Describing what a new member of the team will actually do and how they fit into your structure will give candidates a better idea of what to expect when they get hired. It will also help employers find someone who wants the type of working environment you have described.
Keep in mind that describing competencies that the prior person in that role had could scare off some worthy candidates. Those competencies were likely developed after years of training and experience. Be sure you are describing the role that a new person will fill, not a specific person who left that role.
Making certain aspects “required” or “must-haves” will force some qualified people to look elsewhere. If you are not finding exactly who you want, you may need to face the reality that the person you are looking for is not looking for you.
Being willing to adjust to your job pool can be very helpful. Changing job assignments or adapting a role to a candidate is sometimes necessary—and it may end up being a huge success. Keep in mind that not every qualified candidate will look exactly like what you had in mind.
Do not overlook soft skills, either. Sometimes simply being an effective, contributing member of a team can go further than technical experience. Keep in mind that there are not as many experienced technical candidates as there are positions. Sometimes being flexible about who may be the right fit is a good strategy.
OSI Engineering can take a lot of the stress out of the recruiting process. Learn more about how we can help by contacting us today at (408) 550-2800 or online.