7 Things You Can Do To Attract Top Tech Talent

Finding tech talent can be challenging, more so if you’re looking to hire top professionals. In fact, many business owners simply give up and hire the only employee they can find, even when they know they're not the best fit.

Many smaller companies are also unable to compete with large tech companies that have the resources and can offer unmatched salaries and benefits.

Is There a Solution to This Problem?

Yes, but it will require a proactive, bottom-up approach to improving your hiring practices and company culture in order to attract top tech talent.

Here are some of the things you could try:

1. Build a strong employer brand

Sometimes, it’s not just about the money. This is especially true for highly skilled tech employees who want to be associated with a positive brand in their professional lives.

This means you should harbor a positive reputation and ensure that both word-of-mouth and the available information online present you in a positive light. This also includes employee reviews on websites such as Glassdoor which can provide a nudge in the right direction. 

The top tech talent needs to be nurtured so they can be proud of the company they work for. For instance, this could include the company supporting charities they care about, helping their workers with work-life balance, or in some cases, having progressive stances on going green and switching to an eco-friendly office.

If you align your message with the issues that matter to your employees (i.e. building your brand with your employees in mind), you’ll have a better chance of attracting the best of the tech talent.

2. Improve your company culture

By making your workplace a comfortable environment, your staff will capitalize on the opportunity to grow and prosper. This is crucial for tech talent as these individuals are not only highly ambitious, they are usually aware of their high worth. 

Thankfully, by updating your hiring strategy, you can attract and engage clients by offering well thought out, yet inexpensive benefits. For example, you can offer language lessons, yoga, or other activities your workforce can enjoy.

You also have to offer an opportunity for constant training and development. By introducing and finding new ways to leverage innovative technology and a more modern way of conducting your day-to-day operations, you can create an environment that is a hotbed for tech talent.

3. Promote someone from your organization

Hiring or replacing staff can be quite costly. What’s even worse is the drop in productivity that will last until the new employee can perform up to scratch. In some cases, this might take months. 

For some companies, promoting may be a better option than attracting new tech talent, especially when money is tight. 

Look at your current employees and consider whether there is an individual who only requires minimal training and development to become successful at something else. This can be particularly effective for filling scarce roles in the competitive technology sector.

4. Offer more competitive salaries

We recommend matching the competitive salary ranges in the current marketplace. All of the above will certainly help, but not if you’re lowballing the top talent. 

This is predominantly true for tech talent whose specific skill sets are in high demand, compounded by the fact that these individuals are aware of their value. They know they can simply find another company that’s willing to pay enough for their high-tier expertise.

The best thing you can do is to research the market before starting the interview process in order to come up with a realistic salary for these sought-after workers.

5. Allow your staff to work remotely

A majority of modern members of the workforce prefer a flexible approach to their day-to-day activities. This is why you should be open to the idea of introducing the option of working remotely. 

While it’s not for everyone, for some, remote work might improve productivity and work-life balance. The pandemic revealed working from home is a viable option and one that you should offer to employees who prefer working in the environment of their choosing. 

While some may have a problem switching off while working remotely, others find it to be the best way to promote positive well-being and a productive workplace.

6. Streamline your hiring strategies

Have you ever considered that maybe your hiring process is to blame? If you have unnecessary steps in the hiring process, a qualified candidate may accept an offer from another employer simply because they cannot wait for the upper-level execs to greenlight your decision.

You can solve this by minimizing the amount of red tape in the hiring process. 

We recommend leaving the decision to executives who are familiar with the technology, as well as the roles that the new hire will have to fill. This may also include reducing the time between the client interview and your offer. That way, you can make sure you snag that employee while they’re interested.

7. Hire new employees through a tech staffing agency

Highly skilled candidates with a lot of experience can pick and choose which company they work for since so many companies are trying to recruit them. The problem is that hiring managers and HR departments are usually unable to entice top talent or don’t have enough time to address the specific hiring process.

It’s also worth noting that the top tech talent is usually passive and isn’t on a hunt for new job opportunities. In other words, the best employees are usually hidden and you can’t find them on the regular job boards.

So how do you find these elusive beasts?

You can try hiring through a tech staffing agency that has a deep talent pool and utilizes exclusive networks and technology tools. A staffing agency specializing in tech is adequately equipped to connect you with candidates willing to change jobs if the right opportunity opens. 

Don’t Settle For Less

Attracting and retaining tech talent is a challenge you can conquer only if you switch up your approach. First, you have to make company-wide changes that will make your organization attractive to highly-skilled candidates who are not only concerned with the salary but how they can thrive within the context of your company.

This may include offering something your competitors aren’t but also projecting a sense of an organization that is willing to evolve to keep up with the times.

Nevertheless, if you are unable to fill the tech roles you need, you can outsource this task to professionals. That way, you can focus on your business tasks without losing your mind over the intricacies of the hiring process. Better yet, you can go to bed knowing that you won’t have to settle for low-quality hires.