There’s nothing more important in the tech industry than securing and retaining the best possible talent. Unfortunately, your company is not the only one that understands that, so you’re all vying for the same candidates. In a tight technical talent market, how can you avoid skills gaps and beat the competition to the best people? Consider these ideas.
Partner with colleges and universities.
Most students who graduate with technical degrees can hit the ground running as IT professionals, so don’t hesitate to recruit new grads. You may have to walk them through adapting to their first professional job, but their skills will be top-notch.
Train to retain.
The best way to prevent technical brain drain in your organization is by continuing to develop your employees and help them reach their career goals. Individuals and companies need to remain on the cutting edge in the technical field. If you put the resources in place for technical employees to take classes and earn certifications, you can increase their engagement and keep them on your payroll.
Become a target employer.
The simplest way to attract top talent is to show them that you are the most desirable company in the market. If you’re not the best company to work for, consider what changes you are willing and able to make, but it’s often just a case of improving communication and perception. Up your candidate-focused marketing by producing more content geared toward them and becoming more active on social media.
Do more with less.
Ensure that your technical employees only work on projects or tasks that use their talents to the fullest. If your best (and highest paid!) people are bogged down with simple projects or cumbersome administrative tasks, rebalance their workload. Then backfill with entry-level techs or administrative professionals.
Cross-recruit.
A CS degree is one of many that demonstrate technical aptitude. Consider candidates with science, math, statistics, or research backgrounds for some positions. Analyst positions may be well served by recruiting unconventionally.
Re-think your talent pool.
Many perceived shortages in tech talent come from the lack of diversity in the talent pool. Cast a wider net to find people with aptitude who you can train but who may come from unconventional backgrounds and walks of life.
Recruit passive candidates.
Your best source of talent may lie in your toughest competition. You can tick off at least a handful of companies that do similar work and have similar talent needs. Attracting talent from these organizations allows you to access the cream of the crop. It’s up to you to keep them happily with your company once you win them over.
Partner with a tech recruiter.
Specialized recruiters who focus on the tech industry know who’s who, who may be ready to make a move, and what you need to offer an in-demand candidate to be sure they choose to work for you.
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