The demand for candidates with tech skills rose by 10% in the UK last year, as the total number of vacancies reached 1.3 million[1]. As Snapchat followed Google and Facebook by announcing expansion plans in the UK that demand – and the competition – will continue to soar. Here are six ways to improve your hiring strategy and recruit more tech talent into your business:-
Focus on cybersecurity : Creating a specific plan to attract cybersecurity professionals is vital to your business. Deloitte’s 2017 Tech Trends Report predicts a further 10 million cyberattacks in 2017 and cybersecurity was ranked the second biggest threat to UK employers in PwC's 20th Annual CEO Survey. At present, there are an estimated one million vacant cybersecurity jobs worldwide, according to Indeed, a figure expected to rise to 1.5 million by 2019. Globally, the UK has the third highest demand for cybersecurity professionals, behind Israel and Ireland.
Introduce innovation in hiring : Last year we reported on Uber’s ‘Code on the Road’ challenge and Google’s Foo.bar both aimed at sourcing tech talent with specific skills. More recently RBS introduced online simulation into its hiring process in an attempt to lure graduate talent away from the fintech sector which presents a more attractive option for a growing number of tech professionals. For many businesses, gamification plays a central role in engaging with young tech talent and is the first step towards effective innovation. Gamification can be incorporated within online assessments through your recruitment software.
Source female talent : Only 17% of tech jobs are held by women. If HR is to address the tech skills gap, your strategy must be tailored to attract more female candidates. Removing bias in job posts, skills training, provision of flexible working and promoting a culture of equal opportunities within your business will help to overcome barriers to successful recruitment. Our article 10 Ways To Attract More Women Into Tech Jobs provides more details of effective strategies to achieve this. Incorporate the use of anonymised CVs through your applicant tracking system too to minimise the potential for bias in hiring.
Tap into the gig economy : Adjust your hiring process to address immediate or short term needs for tech skills by tapping into the gig economy. Be prepared to pay for talent, the demand for cybersecurity professionals means they can earn thousands of pounds per day. 70% of gig economy workers have more than 10 years of experience in their niche but an effective hiring plan to attract a flexible workforce is vital.
Evaluate 'general cognitive aptitude' : Understanding the specific skills for each vacancy will help to target the right tech talent pool. For example, recent data suggests, ‘general cognitive aptitude and openness’ are both essential skills to ensure long term success for software developers. Likewise, understanding the different skills required for data analysts and data scientists will boost your hiring success. Target candidates with data mining, data cleansing and mathematical and analytical skills for your analyst roles, while a data scientist’s role incorporates machine learning and AI, predictive analytics and data modelling[2].
Know your skills gaps : A new report from LinkedIn suggests that applications for tech jobs from overseas candidates fell by 14% after the Brexit vote[3] . HR can’t afford to adopt a reactive approach to hiring any longer. Successful employers use data to understand what skills their business needs, know exactly where their high achievers come from and adjust their strategy accordingly. Without recruitment software, you cannot be confident in the data or effectiveness of your hiring process.
Hire the best tech talent for your business. Invest in recruitment software used by some of the world’s leading organisations. Contact Advorto today.
You might also like to read:-
The 2017 Tech Trends HR Can’t Ignore
For a more in-depth look on at the tech sector, download our report Recruiting Tech Talent here.
[1] Source : https://www.recruitmentgrapevine.com/article/news-2017-02-14-uk-tech-sector-posts-record-number-of-jobs
[2] Source : https://www.socialtalent.co/blog/3-secret-weapon-tactics-for-it-recruitment
[3] Source : http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/brexit-latest-news-stop-eu-graduates-uk-business-recruit-talent-professionals-europe-new-study-a7577206.html
