Tech Talent Wars: 5 Ways to Lure Star Tech Workers

When tech juggernauts compete to scoop up valuable IT talent, what is a mainstream company to do? Also, a shortage of qualified tech workers — in spite of the projected BLS statistic of a 12 percent decade-long growth rate for tech work by 2024 — doesn’t help. However, there’s more than one way to lure technology’s elite. Here are five ways to compete for tech talent.

1. Use Offbeat Search Tactics

If you’re searching for tech talent using traditional search methods, such as browsing job boards, then you’re going to get left in the hiring dust. Consider offbeat talent search tactics, such as exploring co-working spaces and freelance forums. These spaces are often places where talented tech developers work remotely, whether from home or a shared private office. Additionally, use social media platforms, such as LinkedIn or Facebook, as a way to scout tech workers.

You can also scout talented tech from online MOOCs or tech incubators. These online and offline platforms can house diverse talent, from female developers looking to improve their skills to entrepreneurial-minded machine-learning engineers. If you want to find the best tech talent before other headhunters, then you shouldn’t overlook their dens of creativity.

2. Hook Them With Equity

Multi-million dollar corporations, such as Apple or Google, have the budget to dole out large salaries and great benefits, such as free health insurance. However, if your company is a startup or still trying to gain traction in a new line of business, then financial resources may be scarce. Don’t let that damper your IT recruitment strategy. Offer equity within the company as an alternative to larger salaries and benefits that you can’t afford. By providing an equity option, potential tech candidates will know that you are truly invested in your staff beyond the standard employee-employer relationship.

3. Get Help From Expert IT Headhunters

Sometimes, your recruitment team may be too small or too short on time to handle all the needs of hiring tech talent. Moreover, if your business is just getting started, you may lack a human resources and talent acquisition team with tech recruiting expertise, or the team may even be non-existent. That means it’s time to call in reinforcements in the form of an IT staffing agency.

IT Staffing agencies, like EDI Staffing, can help to save time so that you can focus on other strategic business matters. The staffing agency will know how to find the tech talent you need with flexible schedules and a variety of valuable specialized skills, ranging from application development to IT consulting. An IT staffing agency will also have a pool of tech talent that have been thoroughly pre-screened to make sure they qualify for the position you seek to fill.

4. Offer Engaging Experiences

Provide a benefit that takes tech talent out of the office (or their homes) and into an engaging experience. This can include networking events that allow remote workers to bond in an overseas trip. Also, try a team-building experience that uses local activities, such as bowling or a trampoline park. When you employ engaging experiences as a benefit, you demonstrate that your company values a balance of work and life.

5. Search Within

Sometimes your IT staff can be a great resource to tap talented tech workers. Rather than attempt to poach tech workers from competitors, encourage your IT employees to refer potential candidates. You can incentivize the referral process with additional time off or a bonus. Also, searching within your current employee pool can mean using reverse engineering tactics, such as identifying the desirable qualities of your current top tech talent.

Big budgets coupled with big benefits makes tech positions at these large enterprises enticing. However, when you employ innovative IT recruitment tactics, then you can gain the competitive advantage of hiring star tech talent.

If you’re looking for qualified IT candidates, look no further.