4 ways to attract top IT talent to work for your company
Posted On: Thursday, June 23, 2016
Demand for IT talent is high and supply of talent is low, so in economic terms we all know what that means; to be in competition for hiring IT professionals you must offer a substantial salary. Yet, salary is not enough. As president of staffing at Dice, Shravan Goli puts it, “IT professionals are growing more confident”. IT professionals are sure that they will always be able to find a job with great pay. So they are beginning to self-reflect and to determine what they really want from their careers. This has developed a demand for “softer” benefits, which are benefits money cannot buy. So while HR Managers have been trying to sell positions by emphasizing salary, benefits, and vacation time, one should consider adding these “softer benefits” to the conversation.
1. Growth Opportunity
It was recorded in a survey by TinyPulse that 64% of IT professionals are unclear about their company’s job promotion and career path. Advancement opportunities within companies, is a conversation that is lacking for IT professionals. Speaking to candidates about the position’s career path and possible room for advancement may make that candidate more apt to commit to your company. Of course it is more important to speak to candidates about the present job opportunity, but by defining a clear career ladder and adding information about how this job could lead to higher pay and a more senior position in the future, is the icing on the cake.
2. Company Culture
While most companies cannot compete with the luxurious “Google Style” company culture, it does not mean that an organization should not make an effort to advertise their own company culture during the hiring process. ComputerWorld claims that a person’s work environment has been one of the factors that have recently continued to gain importance to IT professionals over the years (meanwhile, salary and benefits have been on the decline). Improving one’s company culture can be done at an affordable cost; for example, by allowing for things such as coffee runs, having table games in the break room, or monthly company outings.
An even better way to enhance company culture that it completely free, is to create a positive work environment by recognizing your employees accomplishments. All it involves is giving recognition of a job well done when it occurs. Solarwinds conducted a survey to evaluate why IT professionals were unhappy in their careers, ones of their findings way that 62% professionals feel moderately-valued to undervalued by their companies. Positive verbal reinforcement is an easy way to make an employee feel satisfied in their work, and becomes especially important if monetary benefit cannot be provided. A supportive work environment has been found vital to developing a strong company culture whether you are working in a Fortune 500 company, a midsize firm, or a start up.
3.The ability to Collaborate
Team collaboration is becoming increasingly prevalent in the IT world today. This means employees care a lot more about the talent of their co-workers and how well they are able to work-together. In the past it was desirable for tech professionals to be an expert in one particular technology or code language. But as technological advancements have progressed, and company’s projects have become more complex they begin to require a great deal of collaboration. These professionals do not want to work with just anyone, 14% of IT professionals in a survey conducted by ComputerWorld said they the most important aspect of their job was the ability to work with talented people. Collaborating with talented professionals gives them the ability to learn and better themselves, which is another “soft benefit” that ComputerWorld’s survey claims continues to raise in importance in the eyes of IT professionals
4. Company Impact
IT professionals can afford to be a little picky these days, so you can’t just solely rely on a high salary to sell the position. Sell the whole company experience by talking about your company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR). Demonstrate how your company adds positive value to society; whether it be your eco-friendly efforts, your charitable donations, or how your company comes together to volunteer their time to the less fortunate. Tell your IT candidates about the good your company is doing for the world, and how your company implements its mission statement. People not only want to make a living, but it has become increasingly important to employees that they are working for a company that is inspiring and serves a philanthropic purpose.
All four of these soft benefits are great ways to make the role you are trying to fill more attractive. Also, by implementing these softer benefits into your company it will help you better retain these highly sought after professionals. While salary is usually the most important factor in choosing a job, it is not the only factor that job seekers consider. With an increase in IT positions, company’s softer benefits are having more of an impact on IT professionals job decisions. Refrain from just selling the job description, explain to the applicant that if they join your company they will be more than just an employee, but also could be a friend, teammate, teacher, student, volunteer and more.
Sam is receiving her BBA in Marketing, from the Isenberg School of Business at UMass Amherst. She started as an agency recruiter for Mindcircuit in 2014 and transitioned to a content writer for the business in 2016. Feel free to reach out to her by email, or connect with her on LinkedIn.
Amanda is receiving her BA in public relations, from the S.I. Newhouse School of public communications at Syracuse University. She started as a business development specialist in 2014 and transitioned as a content writer in 2016. Feel free to reach out to her by email and LinkedIn.
Sources:
Bort, Julie. “What Tech Workers Hate about Their Jobs.” Business Insider. Business Insider, Inc,
08 Sept. 2015. Web. 23 June 2016.
Wilkinson, Stephanie. “What Do IT Workers Want?” Computerworld. N.p., 07 Apr. 2014. Web.
23 June 2016.