EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES FOR RECRUITING IT TALENT

Marc Denham • Sep 20, 2021
New Zealand businesses in search of IT talent know how challenging it is hiring in a tight candidate market. The skills gap is real and growing, making recruitment challenges particularly pronounced for IT positions.

In an IT market starved for talent, how should HR/Business leaders respond to a climate in which the right people for the job are scarce and expensive?

Enhance the Perception of Your Brand

Today’s IT professionals are pestered by recruiters on frequent basis, but few are going to jump ship until they’re approached by a company that has an impressive online profile. Google receives over 3 million applications a year. Branding is important. So, time to evaluate your employer value proposition (EVP), which is what an employer expects from its employees and what it provides in return. Step outside the business and try and see your company as a potential IT job candidate would. This type of assessment will help guide improvements to reposition your brand as a destination for talent.

Examine Your Communications Approach

For the first time in history, we now have four generations in the workplace. Each has its own needs, expectations and experiences, so a one-size-fits-all communication strategy for recruitment isn’t going to cut it. Segment your EVP communication by generation for improved results.

Look at How You Hire

According to research from recruiting and ATS software company Lever, candidates referred to a company have a one-in-16 chance of getting hired; candidates submitted by a recruiting agency or firm have a one-in-22 chance while a proactively sourced candidate’s chances are one in 72. Candidates who apply via a company’s career site or job posting have the worst chance of being hired; only one out of 152 applicants land a job that way.

So the way you hire matters. It’s not about getting a whole lot of people to apply, it’s about attracting the right people to apply. Otherwise you’re not being efficient. This is where a dedicated IT recruitment agency can really prove its worth to your organisation.

Know Your Market

Getting to know what IT job seekers are looking for will help you create employment packages that are more attractive. A 2016 Job Seeker Nation survey uncovered the most common reasons why job seekers jump ship:

  • Almost 40% of job seekers are looking for better work-life balance
  • Better pay (61%) heads the pack of reasons
  • But location (42%), health benefits (36%) and growth opportunities (35%) aren’t far behind
  • Company culture (21%) and leadership (15%) aren’t top of the pile, but they shouldn’t be discounted as unimportant factors
When you’re aware of the factors currently making IT professionals switch jobs, you’re better placed to craft a compelling pitch to candidates.

Improve the Candidate Experience

Look at your recruiting process from beginning to end. You want to make it as effortless as possible for the best candidates to apply. Think about your candidate experience as you would your customer journey. Put a premium on efficiency, but remember that the way you treat people who at every stage of the process matters. Look at ways to gather and analyze data around your processes so you can get rid of stumbling blocks, and make it an easy process no matter which route candidates choose to apply.

Temp & Contract Recent Trends

01 May, 2024
The economic conditions are influencing the contract employment landscape in several ways. Here are some of the trends Talent Hive has seen recently.  Demand Shifts NZ firms facing economic headwinds are hesitant to commit to FTE hires but with projects and deadlines still to deliver on, there is likely to be more reliance on temporary and contract solutions to manage workloads in the coming months. Available Talent Although not widespread, layoffs and restructures in the Tech sector could lead to a larger pool of candidates available for temporary and contract work, and Talent Hive has seen an increase in enquiries from people looking to understand how they might set themselves up for contract engagements. This has the potential to increase competition but could also provide businesses with access to qualified talent on a flexible basis. Tech Sector Specifics We are seeing an increase in demand for contract staff recently, particularly Software Developers, Integration and Solution Architects, and Business Analysts. This upswing in demand is reflected in the recent Seek job listings data. There are 207 Contract IT/Tech roles advertised on Seek today and 23% of those contract roles have been listed in the last 7 days. 52 of the 207 contract roles advertised are for Software Eng/Developers with 30 listed ads for Contract BA’s. Wage Control In Stats NZ’s latest update, New Zealand's salary rates actually increased by 4.1 percent in the year to March. That labour cost growth slightly outstripped inflation, which was sitting at 4 percent. Contract hourly rates in the Technology sector have stabilised in recent months as hiring demand has decreased and we may even see hourly rates come back a little, particularly for role types where there is an oversupply of contract talent. Hybrid Work Trend One trend we are certainly seeing in the contract market are fewer remote work opportunities. Increasingly there is a requirement for contractors to have the ability to work some of the week at a designated office and this is restricting the opportunities contractors are able to go for. Full remote work options aren’t completely gone but they are significantly reduced. Contract candidates must be open to in-office work for at least some portion of their engagement. Overall, the current climate creates a complex landscape for both businesses seeking talent and professionals exploring temporary and contract opportunities. Success for Contractors will depend on adaptability, flexibility around rates, and contract length. Talent Hive's Value Talent Hive's understanding of the current market dynamics, along with our strong network of skilled professionals, positions us uniquely to support both clients and candidates Addressing Uncertainty: For businesses navigating hiring uncertainty, Talent Hive offers flexible staffing solutions. We have access to contract talent that are ready to fill immediate skill gaps and help organisations manage fluctuating workloads. Beyond Just Tech Skills: We understand that finding the right technical expertise is only half the battle. Talent Hive's strong connections within the contractor talent pool allow us to identify professionals who are not only technically capable but also a strong cultural and organisational fit for our clients. This approach ensures smoother onboarding and a positive impact for both the contractor and the employer. We would like to share some of the contractors we’re working with at the moment. Click below to view some of the great IT talent we're working with to find roles at the moment.

We won at the SEEK awards!

05 Dec, 2023
We're extremely proud to say that we won at the SEEK awards: Small Recruitment Agency of the Year!

What do our candidates want in 2023?

04 Oct, 2023
Matt and Marc look back at some of the recruitment industry changes, and discuss what candidates are wanting in 2023.
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