Tech recruitment isn’t something that you should wade into without proper preparation. Given the precarious nature of today’s labor market, it is imperative to adopt the right strategy. Failing to do so could leave your enterprise riddled with substandard professionals, or perhaps, none at all. 

While technical recruitment is challenging, there are many strategies you can use to get it right. In this post, we run through a strategic approach to tech recruitment that will make it considerably easier to attract the employees you need. 

Figure Out What You Want

Before posting any job ads on job sites or public message boards, take some time to figure out who you need. For instance, if you want to develop software, don’t just look for people who have had “developer jobs” in the past. Instead, be more specific. For instance, you might post an advert for Java developer jobs.  

Similarly, be clear about the type of engineers that you require. If you are looking for people to fill data engineering jobs, look for candidates with extensive backgrounds in mathematics and statistics, not just programming. 

When advertising, do the following: 

• Explain why a potential hire might want to come and work for your firm. Be clear about what their role will be and precisely how they will participate in company life

• Talk about your company, what it does, and the kind of projects the prospective employee will tackle

• Discuss the skills you need, and then provide a list of examples so that interested parties can quickly identify whether they are the right candidates for the role

Play Up Your Strengths

As with any industry, big brands tend to be more successful in attracting top talent than smaller firms. Therefore, it’s critical to play up your strengths to convince prospective employees they should work with you. 

Specifically, what can you do, though? Here are some ideas:

• Discuss opportunities to work on exciting, one-off, perhaps game-changing projects that will impact customers and clients

• Talk about your company’s unique culture and some of the benefits that recruits will experience

• Mention growth opportunities and where you expect your company to be in two, five, and ten years

• Make it clear that recruits will be making meaningful, positive contributions to both the company and the lives of customers and clients

Offer Technical Staff What They Want

Even if bigger companies are offering JavaScript jobs, you can still compete with them as long as you offer technical staff what they want. 

Developers’ main requirements are: 

• A good starting salary with opportunities to increase it within a reasonable time frame

• Interesting projects and work, including rewarding problem-solving

• Independent working arrangements and the ability to make decisions autonomously, without the need to run everything by management

• Opportunities to work remotely for at least some of the week

• Management by people who understand the field and can provide meaningful support

• High-quality equipment that makes the development process as smooth as possible 

Leverage Data

Given the competitiveness of technical recruiting, data can be a fabulous ally. Collect information on average salaries, workforce trends, and even the hidden costs associated with talent acquisition. Then use this information to make your job postings’ remuneration and terms and conditions as competitive as possible. 

You can also use data to define your talent exploration areas. Look for opportunities to find employees from areas where the supply of workers is outstripping the demand, potentially lowering your acquisition costs. 

Get Comfortable With Technical Terms

Many recruiters ignore technical jargon. However, they do so at their peril. Developers, software engineers, and other technically-minded candidates want assurances that the companies they apply for have technical expertise. Furthermore, they also need to post job descriptions that clearly define the requirements of the advertised role. Avoiding technical terms makes that difficult.

But you don’t want to go too far in the opposite direction, either. The trick here is to strike an optimal balance. Job descriptions and advertisements should be approachable, but should also contain phrases that prospective candidates can use to determine whether they are a good fit or not. Think “friendly” but “professional.”

Make Your Interview Process Air-Tight

Technical candidates often have multiple job options. After all, their skills are in high demand. The trick here is to calibrate your interview process so that you pitch your firm at the same time as working out whether the candidate is a good match for the job listing. Here’s our advice: 

• Offer remote interview options, particularly for candidates who want to work remotely (always offer in-person as an option, too, to maintain professional standing)

• Introduce the candidate to team members informally so that they can begin to develop a rapport

• Tell applicants who will be interviewing them ahead of time and guarantee feedback, whether they get the job or not

These strategies can dramatically improve candidates’ perceptions of you while also letting you see how they perform, both socially, and technically. 

Use The Right Onboarding Software

Onboarding software is essential for making candidates feel comfortable when joining your enterprise.

What Is An Onboarding Software and Why You Need One

Onboarding software packages help you integrate new hires into your ecosystem. The goal is to help them transform from an outsider to a full member of the team. 

Onboarding software is beneficial for the following reasons: 

• Improves the employee experience, reducing the risk of staff turnover

• Boosts employee engagement

• Increases the likelihood of attracting extremely talented individuals

• Promotes better company culture

• Increases productivity in the first six months

The Bottom Line

Getting tech recruitment right is extremely challenging in today’s labor market. There are more unfilled positions than there are candidates looking for work. 

The trick here is to strategize your tech recruitment processes. If you can find ways to better target the people you need while also standing head and shoulders above the competition, you can attract the talent you need, even if you are a smaller firm.

Author Bio: This article is written by our marketing team at HR Cloud. HR Cloud is dedicated to providing powerful solutions for your HR teams and creating an exceptional employee experience. Our aim is to help your company improve employee engagement, onboarding, and to save you valuable time!