Software engineering recruitment reached a record high in the preceding year, and looks to remain a challenging task for companies going forward. As per the latest employment report published by CareerBuilder, around 54% of businesses plan to onboard full-time, permanent IT personnel in 2022, up from 29% seen earlier.
In the present competitive job market, it has become more crucial to find the perfect candidate for a job opening. The temptation to quickly finalize a hiring decision by selecting the earliest software engineers possessing even a moderate degree of relevant qualifications is high, regardless of their actual suitability to the role.
For those looking to hire a software developer, given below are five implicit rules that can guarantee success:
Assessing Capability:
Although traditional hiring methods like resumes and interviews are commonly used to evaluate a candidate’s skills, they can be misleading and biased. In the 2022 HireRight Employment Screening Benchmark Report, which surveyed over 3,000 talent management and security professionals, it was revealed that 88% of respondents found evidences of resume falsification during applicant screening.
Recruiters may sometimes shortlist a candidate after examining numerous applications, only to later realize that the selected candidate isn’t the perfect match for the role or company’s culture. Thus, to identify the ideal programmer, it is necessary to introduce impartial evaluation criteria in the recruitment process.
Plum is a company that collaborates with Works to evaluate applicants’ character and potential. Instead of solely relying on resumes, Plum incorporates the key qualities an employer is seeking in a new hire and allocates scores to potential candidates. To arrive at the most accurate decision, Plum administrates assessments to evaluate soft skills such as effective communication, work ethics, and problem-solving abilities. This comprehensive approach helps to narrow down the applications pool to the most qualified applicants.Cultivate a Remote-friendly Environment:
Advancements in technology have made it possible for companies to broaden their talent pool, regardless of geographic location. Smartphones, tablets, and applications have allowed remote employees to stay connected and make meaningful contributions to their team from anywhere. Co-founders of 37Signals, Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson, emphasize this in their book Remote. They suggest that limiting recruitment to a specific location could lead to missing out on the best available candidates, and believe that employers and employees can productively collaborate even if working remotely.
When seeking the best candidate for a programming position, it is crucial to consider candidates beyond your immediate area. Expanding your candidate pool could include posting job openings on websites such as We Work Remotely, which could potentially reveal more appropriate applicants.Explore Locations with scarce Opportunities but High Talent Pool.
Promising software developers can also be discovered in burgeoning IT markets. For instance, we have experienced success in hiring candidates from the most populated countries in Asia. A large talent pool provides us the flexibility to choose applicants based on their potential and attitude. Hence, it’s advantageous to search for candidates in regions with a significant number of skilled individuals who are eager to work.Don’t Overlook Junior Employees.
Due to the shortage of skilled personnel, the IT recruitment industry is highly competitive. Hence, it is crucial to evaluate potential applicants beyond their prior experience. It is plausible for a software developer to learn the specialized skills required for a role through on-the-job training, mentoring, and observation. However, it is challenging to teach characteristics like problem-solving, leadership, and teamwork, which makes it worthwhile to consider candidates who already possess these traits.
Irrespective of their past work experience, there is a good likelihood of individuals becoming valuable team members with proper training and guidance.Align with Your Company’s Purpose.
As the IT industry continues to expand rapidly, job seekers are presented with countless opportunities in terms of both companies and roles. When faced with numerous job offers that provide comparable compensation and benefits, the organization’s culture and purpose become significant factors in the decision-making process. Therefore, employers must prioritize highlighting the company’s purpose and how the candidate can contribute to it to stand out from other competitors who are seeking the same skilled talent.
Although hiring the best technical expertise is challenging, adhering to the recommended guidelines can aid in the process.
