Sometimes when we dream big, we have to think small.
This crazy paradox describes the hiring needs of tech companies. The visionary stuff of yesterday’s science fiction is being accomplished by a tech worker with a focused, specialized skill set.
This means that the job market at tech companies, and for people with unique high-tech skills, is on fire and staying that way. At least for now.
According to Robert Half Technology’s 2022 IT salary report, companies are hiring “at or beyond pre-pandemic levels.” Of those surveyed, 52% said they planned to add new positions in the coming year. The Enterprisers Project reports that 73% of global technology leaders surveyed for IEEE’s Impact of Technology in 2022 and Beyond survey say recruiting technologists and filling open tech positions in the year ahead will be challenging.
Even with the sobering tech layoffs making the headlines, each tech worker looking for a job is fielding more than two employment offers. If your company is ready to find, attract, hire, and keep new recruits in a niche role, you’ve got your work cut out for you!
RecruitGyan intersects this new normal by using comprehensive strategies to find the right candidate quickly and efficiently. It takes a specialized approach to fill a specialized role. Here are four ways we make those perfect matches.
1. We establish a close working relationship with the company’s hiring manager.
We communicate to thoroughly understand the role being filled. Why is it niche?
What was their process for hiring other positions? What worked/what didn’t work? We want to be resourceful for the sake of being efficient.
As we move through the hiring process, we keep the hiring manager in the loop by sending them any feedback, data, or metrics.
2. We revamp the job description.
It needs to specifically state how the role is unique, and what type of work the candidate will be doing in the role. This helps us get resumes from qualified candidates.
An accurate job description is helpful for the candidate that isn’t a good fit- they can self-select out if the job is past their capacity. (A caveat to this- studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every qualification. It isn’t meant to discourage the right applicant- it’s intended to set someone up to thrive by clearly communicating expectations.)
The job description casts a vision of what it looks like to work in the role. When the right candidate can visualize herself in the role (and she likes what she sees), she’ll be motivated to apply.
We make sure that the role has the correct job title, to make it attractive to the right candidate.
3. The interview process is structured to engage with the applicants that are strong matches for the role.
We conduct a pre-screen phone interview to get an idea of what they’re looking for in a new job, and if the role is a solid fit for their career trajectory. We also talk through criteria specific to the role. For example, if they’re being considered for a technical role that requires them to interact with clients, then they’ll need past experiences in sales or demonstrate soft skills to work with people.
After we determine that they’re a good fit for the niche role, we proceed to the next step in the interview. Moving forward, we want to focus only on candidates that are qualified with the specialized skillset and passionate about their career field.
In all of our interactions, we want the candidates to have a good experience, and leave with a great impression of the company.
4. We address the company’s branding and culture, to create an attractive option for the ideal candidate.
When 73% of potential candidates are passive job seekers, they need a good reason to make a transition. Getting a trendy Patagonia vest with the company logo isn’t going to cut it.
A strong culture is going to be a big factor in their decision to leave their current place of employment. A candidate wants to know that a company lives out its values, the work/life balance is protected, and diversity/inclusion is a priority. They want to make a difference, and they want to do it with people that they like. Otherwise, they’ll stay put.
Branding matters, especially when a company is recruiting. Without solid branding, a company won’t attract the right people. The ideal recruits are going to do their research. What they learn about the company determines whether they engage in the hiring process. The right candidate isn’t going to work for a company that’s poorly represented through its branding.
The website and LinkedIn profiles, from the co-founder to the hiring manager, need to be up to date. The mission/vision/values of the company need to ooze off the pages of the website.
Finding the right candidate to find a niche role in a tech company can feel like looking for a needle in a haystack. RecruitGyan brings the magnet – to attract the right candidate to the right role, at the right time. Ready to hire? Book time on my calendar and let’s chat.
