5 CHALLENGES IN RECRUITING IT TALENT
As technology and cybersecurity becomes a non-negotiable part of all businesses, recruiting top IT talent is crucial to organizational success. It’s no secret that the hiring process is difficult for any position, and such is the case with IT positions. Especially now more than ever, competition is fierce to find the most talented IT professional who’ll bring the perfect mix of skills and experience to an organization.
Here are five challenges in the IT recruiting process and tips on how to overcome them:
1. More Demand than Available Talent; Too Many Competing Offers
According to a 2022 article, the unemployment rate for tech careers is 1.3%, much below the national unemployment rate of 3.5%. While this is great news for IT talent looking for a position, it makes the hiring process quite challenging for companies. Especially software and web developers are in high demand. Big data and analytics experience, security knowledge, and experience having worked on legacy systems are also very desired by recruiters.
The combination of high demand with lower supply and need for specific experience leads to candidates receiving multiple, equally attractive offers. The current job market gives IT professionals the opportunity to name their price and be selective in what company they work for. This results in organizations needing to get creative with their job offers. Salara, company culture, benefits, perks, and future growth opportunities are key points to consider when making a job offer for an IT position.
2. Increased IT Recruiting Costs
As mentioned in the above point, the IT recruitment process is very competitive and compensation demands continue to rise as the demand for IT professionals continues to increase. This not only raises IT salaries but also the money spent on the recruitment process. Organizations should consider teaming up with a talent recruitment company to maximize their recruitment efficiency and get the best value for their spending.
3. Use Your Organizational Goals to Your Advantage
With so many companies looking for IT talent and offering similar benefits, the choice may come down to the organization’s brand, goals and purpose. Especially in the past five to ten years, candidates are looking for more than just benefits but for organizations that align with their sense of purpose. Consequently, organizations are spending more time and money building their brand and clarifying organizational goals and corporate social responsibility initiatives in an effort to attract new talent.
4. A Multigenerational Workforce
As Generation Z enters the workforce, they bring a unique approach to workplace values that are quite different from traditional priorities. Whether it’s the need for different workplace settings, benefits, and leadership styles, IT recruiters need to look beyond technical skills, and consider how the individual candidate’s unique qualities fit the company, department and position.
5. More Tech Professionals are Moving to Freelance
While most organizations are ideally looking to hire in-house IT talent, organizations should evaluate their IT needs and consider whether hiring a freelancer or contractor could be an option. Given the high demand for IT talent, tech professionals are favoring freelancing which puts them in “a position to command higher rates, create their own flexible schedules, and choose projects based on the type of work they prefer.”
A considerable challenge in the hiring process can be having too specific expectations for what the ideal candidate should be. Even if it’s not a permanent solution to an organization’s IT needs, hiring contractors could give your organization a better understanding of what you are looking for in your IT candidates, what skills and other personality traits, and help connect your organization with talent that might turn into a permanent employee.
The IT talent recruitment process can be long and challenging. With the world increasingly becoming more dependent on technology, tech careers are only expected to grow and become more in demand. As challenging as it might be, however, there are resources available to help tackle the challenges. Consider teaming with Precision to see how we can help you in all your talent acquisition needs.