Acquiring the best talent can be tricky when it comes to tech specialties. Although the number of experts grows with the work market, there is still a significant shortage of talent for advanced positions. When it comes to senior specialists, it is essential to offer value to candidates to make them interested in your company.
Whether you are working in HR or just looking for human resources positions abroad, it is good to know helpful strategies for such a case. In collaboration with Jooble, we’ve narrowed down the best tips for recruiting a senior tech specialist.
Every business wants to hire the best experts, but there is a lot of competition when it comes to top talent. To be efficient, a company needs to adjust its recruiting strategy as a whole. Here are the steps to do so.
Adopt Talent Acquisition Strategy
Recruitment should not be a guessing game. There has to be a clear and effective strategy in place. This includes:
- Understanding what specialists you are looking for;
- What skills do they need to possess;
- Software development structure of the company;
- The tech team structure;
- Recruitment milestones;
- Budgetary limitations;
- Salary expectations;
- The best hiring tools and channels;
- KPIs and efficiency metrics.
This strategy also needs to be flexible enough to fit the current market trends and needs. For instance, the requirements of your in-house tech team might change. Or new channels of acquisition prove to be more effective.
Conduct Research
The next step is to research the market, competitors, and talent pool. This is essential to adjust the strategy accordingly and get insights into the tech market.
For example, by researching average salary rates for a senior tech specialist in different countries, a company might opt for outsourcing. Another reason for that might be talent availability. If there are no free senior cloud architects in your area, outsourcing might be a valid option.
As for competitors, it is helpful to know how they reach out to candidates and what they offer. The market research also ensures your proposal to a candidate matches the needs and expectations for such a position.
Consider Brand Marketing
Employer branding is important in several aspects. First of all, if candidates are aware of the company, they are more inclined to work with it. Secondly, it creates a reputation for a business that cares about its personnel, which is also important to attract talent.
This means upgrading your internal employee retention system and bringing information about it to the public.
Upgrade Value Proposition
When it comes to senior specialists, it is crucial to offer them more than just a competitive salary and some basic perks. It is rather a baseline than a benefit in this market. Use the information about competitors to find out opportunities you can integrate into your value proposition.
Those could be learning opportunities, certifications, better health insurance, company trips, professional growth prospects, etc.
Optimize Interview Process
Although this depends on the company and position, the majority of senior tech specialists will not be happy with the 5 interview stages. This might feel too long and redundant. Taking into consideration that top experts might receive several proposals monthly, this might cost you a potential employee.
Reduce the number of interviews to the essential minimum. For instance, Google has 4 stages but specialists are willing to wait because of the company’s reputation and benefits. The usual process should not be more than 2-3 interviews.
Learn Relevant Terms
An HR specialist doesn’t have to possess deep tech expertise, but it is always helpful to know what you are talking about. Partner with the in-house tech team to set the requirements for a candidate and figure out what terms and concepts you need to know.
Secondly, include a tech representative in the interview process. They are able to evaluate the candidate’s expertise and level of skills better.
Design Employee Referral Program
Often the case, your employees know other specialists in the field. So setting up a referral program allows for widening your reach. You can offer bonuses and perks to those who share their contacts. Such bonuses are given if a candidate is suitable and gets an offer from the company.
This ensures employees’ motivation to help find the best tech talent. Also, getting information from a friend or acquaintance about a company often serves as a recommendation. This makes a candidate more inclined to work with you.
In Summary
To recruit senior tech specialists, a company needs to create an efficient strategy based on research. Find the most promising channels to reach for candidates, adjust your value proposition, and consider creating a referral program.