Christopher Beckage, Senior Vice President, North Region, shares tips on how to find and retain quality IT candidates in today’s global market.

Recruiting IT talent is a priority for many organizations and is challenging in today’s tight labor market. With the demand for IT employees at an all-time high, companies need intelligent strategies to attract value-add candidates.

On average, companies lose $14,000 for every job that remains open for three months. They face compounding losses as numerous resources become dedicated to picking up the slack, working to fill the position, or outsourcing the work.

Here are five key tips to build your company’s talent strategy:

1. Build a strong employer brand. Today’s candidates are savvy and will spend quality time researching your company. The phrase “great culture” is overplayed. If culture is your differentiator, clearly define it using pictures, videos, and employee testimonials. Be sure to address your business purpose as many IT job seekers list this as a key part of their criteria. Leverage your social media pages and company website to create a relevant and meaningful experience for potential candidates.
2. Mobilize your employee networks. Current employees are often your best tool for finding the next great hire. This is why 37% of best-in-class companies are engaging their employees in referral programs that funnel qualified candidates to their recruitment teams.
3. Treat the job description as a sales pitch. A job description is not only about marketing the open jobs at your company—it’s your first point of contact with job seekers. An organization must provide compelling reasons for a candidate to join its ranks. You want to brand your organization as lively, productive, and engaging, so be sure to provide the correct impression! Include a clear job title, flexibility of schedule, and defined career path to encourage more candidates to interact with your job openings.
4. Determine mandatory skills. Describing the main skills necessary to succeed is essential in attracting qualified applicants, but avoid a laundry list. This is likely to confuse the applicant as far as what skills are prioritized and will eliminate strong candidates who feel they don’t meet every requirement.
5. Think about mobile first. More than 50 percent of jobs over LinkedIn are viewed through mobile phones, which means every word counts. Keep your description short, concise, and bulleted for easy reading.

Acara specializes in sourcing and hiring IT talent. Learn more about our services for the IT industry.

For more information on this topic please contact Christopher Beckage at beckagec@acarasolutions.com.