What Attracts Top Tech Talent?

The digital industry has suffered from a major skills shortage in recent years. As companies look to expand the tech talent in their digital teams, they are increasingly willing to invest in their own long-term digital future.

Unfortunately, only a small percentage of candidates possess the necessary digital experience and desirable qualifications to be hired into the vacancies that exist. This is a problem for the economy as it effectively means that unfilled positions impact the productivity and growth of many companies across the UK, and the digital sector as a whole. These businesses are unable to devote the necessary resources to the products or services that they provide, so their efficiency levels and profit margins are compromised.

However, for the minority of candidates who are fully equipped with digital skills in niche technologies, they are able to achieve several job offers to negotiate between. This creates a tech talent war between top organisations who are seeking the best digital industry candidates. Businesses then find themselves in the unusual position of pitching their company to the candidate and trying to attract them with a variety of different methods.

Speed Of Recruitment

Candidates with tech talent do not wait around and are often off the market within three weeks, rejecting offers from extremely high-profile companies in favour of another vacancy. Businesses who are interested in a candidate should call them back within a working day of their interview to let them know whether or not they’ve been successful.

Before advertising their vacancies, firms should also analyse their recruitment procedures and be certain that they’re in a position to hire immediately when the right person becomes available. Delays cost tech talent in this candidate-driven market. Digital recruitment processes such as employee on-boarding impress a candidate by helping to take the hassle out of joining an organisation.

Attractive Tech Culture

A potential employee needs to feel that the company they’re considering joining is one that is forward-thinking. Hirers should provide evidence that they’re committed to corporate IT investments, proving that technology is at the heart of the business.

Let the candidate know that they will have room to develop within the organisation. If an employee feels that they will get the chance to mature and progress at a company, then they will be less inclined to look elsewhere to further their interests. Candidates will also be attracted to an organisation if they believe that they will be allowed a voice and an opportunity to affect change.

Google is famously thought to allow its staff to dedicate 20% of their time to pursue their own projects. This is a philosophy which promotes creative and innovative advancements for the good of both the individual and the company. It is thought that Gmail, AdSense and Google News have all been produced from this 20% time.

Flexible Working

Providing a work-life balance has become a key responsibility for companies who are hiring in 2016.

Candidates who face a gruelling daily commute to a static office will welcome the opportunity to work remotely from home or choose flexible working hours where they might work longer hours for a couple of weeks to obtain an extra day’s annual leave. Top tech candidates will expect the existence of remote technology such as cloud-based systems or BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) in order to help them connect to a corporate network as and when they need to.

Hiring Manager

An organisation needs to think carefully about who the hiring manager and panel of interviewers will be when they’re trying to attract the best candidates in the digital industry. First impressions count for everything, so ensure that potential employees meet a manager who demonstrates exceptional organisational abilities as well as being decisive and assertive. The candidate should also feel that the team are passionate about the purpose and culture of the organisation. Make sure that the interviewing team have the power to hire and negotiate the contract of the candidate. A potential employee will be put off if they have received positive feedback but have to go through a further vetting stage with the ‘real’ manager who couldn’t take the time to be present initially.

January / February Vacancies

Many candidates will choose to search for a new job at the beginning of the year, so a company will attract the best tech talent by advertising their vacancies in January or February.

Digital employees will feel more motivated to join an organisation if they have been personally head-hunted. Even if they feel happy in their current role, the idea that they might be valued more highly elsewhere is enough to gain the interest of some impressive digital specialists in 2016.

Whether you’re an expert in the field of niche digital technology or a company in need of some top tech talent, then we should be your first port of call. We have an unparalleled knowledge of the technology industry and can skill-match the best candidates to the top digital vacancies in the current marketplace. Call us today to find out how we can help you.