How to Attract the Best IT Talent?
Published: 29/05/2023
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It is becoming increasingly challenging to attract and retain IT talent. In this article, we will guide business owners and HR professionals on how to close the gap between supply and demand by digitising your company. Additionally, we will help you determine whether you need a permanent specialist or a contractor.
In the highly technical age we live in, IT technicians are vital to any business. From security measures to ensuring everything runs smoothly internally, skilled specialists are worth their weight in gold. That said, it is little wonder they are in high demand. However, the supply of senior specialists is low and steadily decreasing. This means that not only are workers with the required expertise harder to find, but you will also be competing with other potential employers to recruit them.
This dilemma has been troubling many companies, and very few have found a solution. We are among the fortunate ones. But instead of keeping that information to ourselves, we want to share it with you, in the hope that it will help you address and navigate this crisis with less difficulty. Please note, our advice doesn’t involve working with recruitment agencies. If anything, we believe it applies to recruiters as well, since they also struggle to find top IT talents.
There are plenty of tips online on how to attract the best talent. We won’t bore you with the basics, so here are more in-depth points to consider:
Be transparent in your hiring process;
Offer flexibility in terms of working hours and location;
Ensure the hiring process runs smoothly from day one;
Build a quick and effortless onboarding;
Remain consistent in communication during and after hiring.
These tips might seem vaguer and less substantial than most advice found online, but we don’t want to insult your intelligence by neglecting the basics. Instead, our aim is to share truly game-changing advice.
The reason you might be struggling to find an IT specialist is not necessarily your fault. There has been a clear gap in the market over the past few years, and unfortunately, it continues to grow. In this section, we will investigate what is causing the problem, whether there are any solutions, and how to address the issue starting today.
It might seem confusing that there is a shortage of specialists in an emerging industry like IT. According to HESA, in 2020/21 there were a total of 153,825 students enrolled in Computing courses and 183,160 in Engineering and Technology programmes. However, it will take several years for these young people to qualify as entry-level staff, let alone reach senior roles. Meanwhile, the current experts are gradually entering retirement. Additionally, with more experience behind them, they are in higher demand to lead teams of younger personnel, helping to accelerate their professional development.
In other words, the issue isn’t just the lack of available talent. It’s that the talent is more junior, which creates significant challenges for companies with complex processes or those needing specialists with very extensive or highly specific experience. Naturally, senior candidates are in high demand, which shifts the usual hiring dynamics. It’s no longer a matter of candidates competing for jobs, but companies competing to employ them.
One way to close the gap is to focus on contractors instead of permanent staff. While having someone in-house offers security, senior IT specialists tend to command very high prices. As mentioned earlier, most of these highly skilled seniors are also close to retirement age, so realistically, you wouldn’t be hiring them for more than a decade. Additionally, your organisation might not need them all the time. In any case, your best option is to turn to contractors.
First of all, working as an independent contractor is often preferred by senior staff, meaning the talent pool available to you is larger. Additionally, it isn’t restricted by location. Retirement age isn’t as much of a concern either, as many contractors are actually retired specialists who now work independently. Contractors also have pre-set rates for certain tasks, and you can hire them for specific jobs rather than keeping them on when their services are not the highest priority. Overall, finding and hiring a highly skilled IT contractor is easier than bringing someone on board permanently. But it is up to you to decide, as each situation is unique.
Attracting IT talent is only half the job. Retention can be equally challenging, as other companies are likely to keep headhunting even after your new hire has joined. And if their offer seems more appealing while your processes fall short, problems may occur.
No one enjoys admin work, and IT workers are no exception. In fact, with their schedules so full of various tasks, inputting some data is the last thing they want to do. Naturally, if their hands are busy filing paperwork required by your processes, they will spend less time on tasks you need them to complete. Additionally, they won’t be too pleased with you. So, how about you cut your losses and introduce some automation? From procedures such as onboarding to expense submission and invoicing, many tedious admin tasks can be handled by software. And it’s something you will greatly benefit from as a business too.
Not only does automation of repetitive data entry tasks save time, but it also decreases the likelihood of human error. Applying this approach throughout your organisation will ensure smooth and hands-free processes, which is a clear indicator of your organisation’s professionalism. Therefore, not only is it highly beneficial for performance, but it also leaves a positive impression on the IT staff.
Having discussed smoothly functioning processes and their importance, we must also address consistency. While having some business areas operate like a well-oiled machine is better than none, it can be frustrating when other parts of the organisation do not match that level. Especially when hiring an outside contractor, providing a consistent experience is crucial because it significantly helps them understand the intricacies of your business.
The easiest way to achieve the said consistency is by building a tech stack of digital solutions interconnected through integrations. This way, you will be able to smoothly transfer data from one solution to another, keeping them aligned and consistent in their readings. Not having to export/import data and switch between tabs also helps to minimise the admin work we have discussed previously. Moreover, software integrations can unlock new automation opportunities.
All good things come to those who wait. Of course, in this case, you must also put in some effort and not just rely on things falling into your lap. The point is—don’t get disheartened if your work doesn’t pay off immediately. However, don’t get overly excited and leap headfirst into every promising opportunity either. But more on this below.
We understand that you needed a skilled IT expert yesterday. However, the urgency should not cloud your judgement. It is also important to remember that even the top-tier specialist may not be suitable for a task, or simply not the right fit for your company due to their values, communication style, or other reasons. There is no shame in parting ways if things aren’t working out. Therefore, it is better to work with contractors from this perspective too.
Although the market is experiencing shortages of senior IT professionals, it’s not as if there are none remaining. It’s better to spend some time exploring your options rather than simply accepting the first opportunity that comes your way. Invest time in getting to know each other through collaboration, communication, and feedback, as all three form a strong foundation for a long-term relationship. The truth is that the more you work with a contractor, the better your understanding of each other’s needs and limitations, ultimately leading to improved task execution and better results in the future.
The shortage of senior industry experts in the IT sector poses a significant challenge for companies trying to recruit them. In simple terms, while many younger specialists are available, the senior workforce is nearing retirement age. This creates an experience gap. The most effective way to address this is to start working with contractors, as it will broaden your talent pool.
However, even then, you must ensure that what you offer to your potential IT workers is top of the line, or they will be snatched away from under your nose. We recommend adopting automation. It will remove unnecessary tasks from their day, enhance your company's credibility, and surely support other areas of your business. It is also important to remember that despite the urgency, you should continue to prioritise your needs and not hire someone who isn’t 100% suitable for the role. Time is an investment as valuable as money - and it pays off.
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