Having trouble finding the IT talent your business so badly needs? You’re not alone. Technology is the foundation of every business now, so competition for IT talent is staggering. Unfortunately, as TechServe Alliance CEO Mark Roberts recently observed, demand is high and positions are open, “there are just not enough IT professionals around to meet the needs of businesses.”
According to his organization, the IT job sector grew a minuscule 0.19% between July 2021 and July 2022. As of August, 30% of hiring managers surveyed by Upwork identified IT and networking positions as their most urgent hiring needs, but most were not optimistic. When asked which roles are most difficult to fill:
- 60% named data science and analytics positions
- 58% cited architecture and engineering
- 58% named IT and networking
You can’t just wait for things to improve; you need to take action now to keep your business moving forward. But what to do?
The situation is concerning, but it’s not hopeless
Those of us who belong to the TechServe Alliance are urging our clients to be sure candidate compensation offers are highly competitive and to make faster hiring decisions to avoid losing first-choice candidates.
But that’s just the beginning. There are strategic steps you can take to overcome ongoing IT hiring woes.
Faster is better for everyone
Endless rounds of interviews for each candidate or “we just want to interview one more person” waste everybody’s time. There is never the perfect candidate. So stop trying to perfect your grip and swing the club or benchmark “one more candidate” before that fabulous candidate you’ve already interviewed gives up on you and joins a competitor.
There are numerous things you can do to speed up your hiring process, end to end. A short, decisive process impresses top talent because they know you mean business. It helps your talent acquisition and HR teams stay focused. And it makes efficient use of candidate and interviewer time.
It starts by creating a job description that is short and compelling to inspire candidate interest.
Don’t be so picky!
We’ve been extolling the hiring virtues of flexibility and open-mindedness for quite some time now, but we find many IT managers in particular are still clinging to their old ways. Some don’t even realize just how dire the current talent shortage really is.
You have to look beyond the usual pool of candidates and you don’t need a new hire who can check off a every listof “requirements.” You need someone with the skills and adaptability to fit in and help your company grow. Skills are transferable, so think more broadly about each candidate’s background.
Skills are also teachable. And there are multiple benefits to hiring someone who doesn’t have quite the skills or level of experience you’d like but who has potential. When you hire a candidate who is eager to grow and learn, you know they will be all-in with their new job and role within your company. Professional development opportunities are one of the main reasons employees stick around (or leave for greener career pastures).
So, keep your eyes open for opportunities. Experienced candidates can’t possibly annotate everything in their resumes. Or maybe their experience is transferable. If your “keywords” don’t jump out at you from a resume, dig deeper or look for a similar transferable skill set. Ask the candidate for more information before you overlook the person who just might be your best hire ever.
Consider contingent labor instead of FTEs
Upwork, the sponsor of the survey we mentioned above, is a freelancing platform. They’re seeing an increase in employers wanting to hire contingent labor, especially contractors with tech skills in programming, coding, web design, and social media development.
In fact in the survey, 85% of hiring managers cited the ability to acquire talent with specialized skills as their reason for choosing independent professionals.
Here at Power-4, we’ve been matching clients with contingent IT talent for years, and it has been highly rewarding for both employers and on-demand tech pros. Additionally, you immediately increase your candidate pool.
Trust your recruiting partner!
Partner with a great sourcing firm (hopefully our team here at Power-4) to help you locate the top talent you need. You trust them to make a great impression on your behalf and convince highly qualified individuals to consider your company.
The recruiting team is your link to passive candidates – those who are employed now and not necessarily thinking about another position but who may be exactly the person you need. In today’s marketplace, connecting with passive candidates is essential to build your workforce.
So trust your recruiting partner to do that. A sourcing firm that understands your company functionally and culturally will not send unqualified candidates your way, regardless of their resumes. We know you need the right person in every respect, and their resume may not reveal all the attributes that make them an exceptional choice for your company and position.
And if you’re still thinking that the perfect candidate is really out there, take a look back through all the job descriptions you’ve written and ask yourself if you have ever hired a person who exactly matched all your stated requirements. Rarely, right?