Are you growing your technology department this year? You’re not alone and that means, the competition for the best talent in tech is only getting tighter. If your hiring strategy needs a boost in order to attract, engage and retain top tech talent, we recommend the following 5 hiring tactics that can help you grab the market’s best tech talent’s attention and build your team right now.
Host, or attend, a Hackathon
Schools and companies alike are hosting hackathons to solve issues, create new software and source the best and brightest tech talent. You may have even seen the tactic of hosting hackathons to source top tech talent from major companies such as Facebook where winners are offered a job at Facebook on the spot. The reason hackathons are effective and adopted by companies like Facebook is because technology departments can challenge tech individuals to finish a specific tech project within a tight timeframe. Tech departments can then assess the hackathon participant’s skills on the spot and under pressure, which in turn helps them identify the value of the individual would be on their team.
Whether you have the space to host one on-site or can send a team of recruiters to a public or student-run hackathon, it’s well worth your time. Consider hosting a virtual hackathon to include tech pros from across the U.S. and the world.
Update your hiring process
Lengthy hiring processes hold hiring managers back and result in lost opportunities with top tech talent who either lost interest in the open role at your company or were hired on by another company with a quicker hiring process.
With unemployment in the tech industry at 2.5%, there’s not a lot of time to sit on a decision. If your company takes 1-2 months to hire, the industry average, you’re not going to fill your open positions. The average shelf-life of a top tech pro is only one week.
Show off your vacation policy, flexibility and other perks
Top tech talent is in high demand. Therefore, candidates have the luxury to be picky. That means a company must showcase what it can offer beyond pay and rewarding work. If you have an awesome vacation policy or other summer-friendly policy, show it off. For many IT pros, flexibility is their number two concern (after pay). Do your employees get to work from home (or the beach?) Do you have outdoor seating, happy hours or summer Fridays? Tell candidates how they can continue to enjoy the summer (and beyond) when they join the team.
Boost the employee referral program
Have you noticed that IT pros hang out with other IT pros? If you’re not using your current employees to find new employees, you’re missing a huge opportunity. Not only should you encourage your team to refer candidates, you should arm them with the information and tools to do so effectively. Tell them what positions are open and that you want their input. Update them on how the hiring process works (especially if it’s changed or varies by department), and how to use their networks to recruit. You might even offer financial incentive for bringing on quality talent.
If they’re active on social media, provide sample posts for them to share. Go beyond Facebook and Twitter; be sure to include ideas for Reddit and other tech-heavy platforms. Review the company’s social media policy with them and provide them with the tools to feel confident in their recruiting.
Likewise, address outstanding issues. If you have internal issues on the team or people are feeling unheard, this will negatively impact your ability to hire. Word gets around and if current employees are unhappy or feeling unheard, it will be harder to recruit.
Partner with an expert
If you’re still struggling to bring in worthy candidates, partner with a specialized recruiting firm. Tech recruiters have access to a vast network of job seekers (both active and passive) and know where to look. From temporary to permanent hires, recruiters can help you find the right people. Plus, job boards can cost a ton when you’re only buying a handful of job postings. A recruiter can often help you get postings for less and on exactly the job boards that are right for your company. When it doubt, leave it to the pros.
