How to Overcome the Tech Talent Shortage CareerMetis.com

How to Overcome the Tech Talent Shortage There are different opinions on this matter: some say there’s no such a thing as tech talent shortage and some say there is. The main reason everybody is talking about the tech talent gap is that the majority of companies don’t want to grow and train inexperienced graduates.Instead, they want to get a particular specialist with the right experience fast, easy and without overpaying. One thing is absolutely clear though â€" finding the right specialist is harder than ever.evalClearly, the tech industry is growing and changing too fast for educational establishments to prepare and provide enough specialists in every field.It goes without saying that the situation really depends on location and what kind of tech talent you are looking for. Thus, there might be more than enough web developers in your city but very few somewhere else.Also, the number of specialists in your area might be promising but if you need someone with a special set of skills or extensive experience, you could f ind out that there’s not a single candidate to fit your criteria or those who do suit you are already working for a larger, more successful company.Despite the fact that young people tend to choose a tech career, many of them struggle to find a job after graduation just because they don’t have the experience.1) Highly Skilled Tech RecruitersevalA professional IT recruiter is not only the link between the customer and the candidate, but it is also a good sales manager.Roughly speaking, they sell people to companies and vice versa. The recruiter must not only know how to recruit but competently convince the customer why a certain candidate should be hired and paid a particular amount of money.Sales skills also help to lure the candidate himself at least for an interview. Not to mention persuading him to change his place of residence.Where to look for valuable candidates?The main search channels are:Social networks Specialized events Online instruments Groups and forums With a larg e selection of channels, there is no single right or universal tool with which you can always effectively search for people. Some channels work better in the US market, others in the European market, and some work only in specific circumstances.Each recruiter should not only know how to hire programmers but how to choose a search channel that is convenient for himself and his company and gives access to the best tech talent pipeline.2) IT Staffing Remote EmployeesThe number of IT companies is constantly growing, competition between them on the labor market is tightening and the demand for remote employees is growing.According to Google Trends, the popularity of the “remote developer” query is constantly growing.evalThese days, the most innovative model to hire remote developersis out-staffing but outsourcing and freelancing are still very popular.3) FreelancersPeople become freelancers for various reasons. For some, it’s a problem to constantly go to the office The chance tha t would burn out emotionally when working at these companies is much lower.5) IT Staffing, OutstaffingevalOutsourcing and outstaffing are somewhat similar but the main difference is in how the model works itself. The result and the process “feel” different as well. Outstaffing is a relatively new hiring model but its popularity is rapidly growing.Companies that provide outstaffing services would find, hire and manage an IT specialist or a whole team according to your requirements.evalYou get a contract-based collaboration where your subcontractor is responsible for delivered results.Using such a model brings many advantages:Lower development cost Save on taxes and operating costs Easily scalable team;Access to global tech talent;No need for micromanagement;Full control over the process;Fixed rates;Efficient communication.6) Internship, Employee Training, and DevelopmentThere are four strategies for working with interns:Direct selection;Organizing student competitions;Hackathons and championships;Educational programs and short-term internships.a) Choosing Interns DirectlyDirect selection is easy to organize through a career center at the university. Just place an internship announcement on the university’s website, on social media channels or on the bulletin board.From the applications received, select the most suitable. Be sure to include a test task in the vacancy: this way you will receive applications from really interested candidates. Let the test task be vital.b) Specialized Hackathons and ChampionshipsIf a company needs an intern for a very narrow specialization in IT (Big Data, Machine Learning, etc.), look for candidates at thematic championships and hackathons.Here we need a student who has not only knowledge from the university, but also experience in solving similar problems. KPI for such an intern is a ready-to-use program or script.Keep track of topics and dates of hackathons at all universities of your interest. Hackathons are usually held in the spring and autumn, so do not miss the moment. Or, if you have the resources, do a hackathon on your topic of interest.Keep in mind that the bright participants and winners of the hackathons are in great demand and usually have a big list of opportunities to choose from. Therefore, consider not only the hackathon tasks but also the presentation of your business or project.c) Short-Term InternshipsThis option is the most common and least effective. The company recruits many students for a short time, entrusts them with simple work and involves a lot of employees to train newcomers.Why are massive short-term internships ineffective?This is a high burden for company employees because you need to attach one or two mentors to each intern.7) Own Educational ProgramsIf you have a large company, which is important for a constant stream of qualified trainees for highly specialized activities, create your own educational programs: departments in universities, additional education progra ms or special courses located in your office.This way has a huge advantage and a significant drawback. The educational project allows you to prepare trainees in accordance with the needs of the company.On the other hand, this method is very labor-intensive. The company should highlight several employees who will share their knowledge and skills with students, and if the need for interns is large and constant, it will be necessary to create a whole base of mentors and a system to motivate them.8) IT Certification TrainingIT ?ertification is a relatively new phenomenon among tech specialists. Now it’s clear that IT certificationis becoming more and more significant when applying for a job, and for some organizations the presence of such a “proof” is a mandatory point for obtaining the desired position.The growing tendency to test IT-specialists becomes a necessity not because it is really in demand on the market, but because “everyone does it.” Having a certificate from a bi g reputable company opens up lots of opportunities and makes a candidate much more appealing in the eyes of recruiters.The majority of valuable certificates are provided by tech companies. They usually offer related information technology jobs to those who have proven great ability to learn and grow as a professional.On the other hand, there’s also a pool of organizations that do not hire but only train. It is in their interest to have some kind of tech company ready to offer jobs to their graduates.Thus, having such an agreement is beneficial for everyone: students, course providers, and hiring companies.