Recruiting developers who lack prior experience can be challenging. Though referencing technical recruitment cheat sheets and general practices can offer some direction, it can be tough to determine which candidates possess the required expertise and experience. Conducting a more extensive online search for specific “tech recruitment tips” may offer greater insights and recommendations for your tech recruiting needs.
It’s important not to overlook the nuanced differences among developers. One common misconception is that Java and JavaScript are the same due to their similar names. Asking a programmer a question can sometimes leave them feeling momentarily inadequate.
Finding qualified technical talent can be a challenging undertaking for any organization, especially for HR personnel without technical expertise. Nevertheless, locating skilled programmers is achievable. For optimal results, we suggest adopting our globally recognized best practices for successfully recruiting premier technical talent.
Here are Ten Guidelines for Recruiting Technical Talent for Non-technical Personnel
1. Acclimate Yourself with the Technical Hiring Process
Having an understanding of the organization and industry is crucial when recruiting IT personnel. It’s imperative to recognize that there are various methods for hiring IT professionals, such as developers and analysts.
Technology: The Science and Engineering
Employers must ensure that when they recruit for IT positions, they select personnel with the appropriate skills and qualifications. For instance, hiring a database developer requires more than just reaching out to any job seekers found on LinkedIn, as they may not possess the necessary qualifications for the position.
Job descriptions and responsibilities can vary greatly within a company. Generally speaking, IT departments in smaller businesses tend to have a broad overview of the entire system, while developers in larger organizations often specialize and focus solely on specific aspects of design or implementation.
If you lack technical expertise, identifying the relevant abilities and experience in your candidates is crucial. Suppose you aim to enhance user experience. In that case, seeking out a UX developer capable of implementing your plan for improving the user interface can be advantageous for increasing page views and user engagement.
If you need to store payment data efficiently for your online business, it’s advisable to hire a back-end developer with experience in SaaS content management systems. Suppose you’re managing a project without technical expertise. In that case, you should begin by defining the desired outcomes to identify and source the necessary skills to achieve them. You could consult your existing development team if you have one or collaborate with your manager to create a list of objectives for the new hire.
Market Indicators
The subsequent step is identifying the specific capabilities necessary for the task at hand. Developers do more than just create websites; they help maintain a competitive edge. Advancements in technology, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Augmented Reality (AR), have significantly affected corporate performance and customer service even before the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Competent software developers can provide your business with more than just website maintenance. They can also offer access to state-of-the-art programs to help you stay ahead of your competitors. According to predictions, the demand for software engineering professionals in the US will surpass the number of available candidates by 1.4 million in the near future, with over 920,000 open positions and only 165,000 qualified applicants. As a result, identifying and retaining skilled programmers is critical.
2. Understand What You Can Offer
In the past, recruiters from different industries believed that financial incentives were the primary motivator for individuals to apply for a position. Higher salaries were viewed as increasing the range of employment opportunities.
Even though candidates still consider financial compensation significant, it is not the primary factor anymore. Amidst the pandemic, people are looking for more than just an attractive salary package. They want flexibility and the option to work remotely.
Based on a survey conducted on Stack Overflow, the top five considerations that developers use to assess job offers are as follows:
- The languages, tools, and frameworks they will be utilizing
- Work context and company values
- Flexible schedules
- Career growth opportunities
- Availability of remote work
3. Eliminate Geographical Barriers
To discover highly skilled developers at reasonable wages, it is necessary to widen your search beyond the limits of your country.
In today’s environment, remote work is critical for accessing top talent. Companies are no longer restricted to hiring locally; they have the ability to recruit skilled remote workers worldwide. While there may be obstacles to overcome due to language and time zone differences, this approach provides greater and superior recruitment possibilities than if restricted to a single geographical location.
Several highly capable remote developers may be discovered in areas such as Asia, Latin America, and Eastern Europe.
4. Consider Outside-the-Box Solutions
Acquiring the finest IT professionals necessitates more than just conventional tactics. While having an effective job advertisement can be useful, it is not enough. Identifying suitable individuals with the necessary technical expertise and skills may be challenging, particularly when competing with programmers who are not actively seeking new career opportunities.
So, what can be done to address this issue? Adjust your approach accordingly.
Introducing competitiveness to your technical hiring process can be a distinctive and enjoyable approach to engage with potential developers. For instance, Uber’s “Code on the Road” feature presents users with three coding exercises, and those who successfully complete them are offered an opportunity to apply for a job. This is a creative and effective method for identifying skilled programmers.
5. Determine Your Objectives for your Tech Enterprise
When hiring technical staff, having a distinct comprehension of your technological goals can be advantageous. As previously stated, hiring a Java programmer when a Javascript specialist is needed would not be a prudent decision.
Convene a team meeting to evaluate the necessities and objectives of the position. Once the requirements have been outlined, the pursuit for the requisite technical expertise can be initiated while also acknowledging the significance of soft skills.
To sustain the database system, a part-time worker needs to be hired. The qualified candidate should be proficient in English and possess the necessary social skills to work synergistically with other colleagues.
When hiring Ruby on Rails engineers, it is crucial to verify that they have the requisite abilities and understanding to communicate with clients effectively, lead the team, and brief relevant stakeholders. Additionally, an adept project manager with knowledge in both front-end and back-end development must be recruited to ensure the project’s progression remains on course. Essentially, the most successful candidate should be a skilled developer who is also a valuable team member.
6. Determine Which Abilities Need Evaluation
It is critical to bear in mind that appearances can be misleading. Even if a programmer insists on having the necessary credentials and experience, this may not be true. Hence, it is important to evaluate the individual’s abilities before initiating any assignment.
Acquiring knowledge about the perceived worth and prevalence of various technical abilities can assist in prioritizing recruitment efforts and may also provide greater flexibility while evaluating the demands requested by job aspirants.
Through reassessing your recruitment goals and evaluating the frequency of appraisals being conducted, valuable skills in high demand can be identified. This can serve as a reference point for determining the extent of competition in the market and the demand for those skills.
7. Prepare for the Job Interview
Having a precise understanding of the type of developer required for your team will enable you to concentrate on critical elements of building your team instead of getting involved in office politics. To gain a competitive edge in the interview process, being proactive and formulating skill-based questions beforehand can be advantageous. Do not hesitate to pose technical inquiries or incorporate industry-specific vocabulary.
The objective of this activity is to evaluate the candidate’s response caliber instead of merely testing their knowledge. It would be advantageous to seek the assistance of a Quality Assurance professional to review their code. Additionally, by posing open-ended questions regarding how they would employ their skills to benefit your project and organisation, you can gain a glimpse of their dedication to your work.
For those lacking technical proficiency, a practical skills test can be intimidating, hence scheduling at least two interview sessions is recommended. The initial one should evaluate their coding and programming abilities with the help of technical recruiters and the in-house development team.
Subsequently, arranging a second round of interviews would be appropriate with inquiries specifically customised to the project and how the candidate can enhance the team’s effectiveness. To conclude, personality-focused interviews may be arranged with the remaining candidates. For this, technical expertise is not essential, however, it is recommended that you are familiar with the remedies that have been successful for your team in the past.
Observing candidates in a group environment can be a helpful way to determine their compatibility with the team. If you possess an IT department, they can participate in the technical recruitment process by posing and answering questions related to the candidate’s technical expertise and experience in a team setting. This can also furnish you with some valuable perceptions.
8. Define “Freelance Developers” and “Permanent Developers.”
Having a clear understanding of the specific skills required is imperative when recruiting for a development position. Do you intend to fill the role on a temporary basis, or would you rather hire a part-time employee who may not be as dedicated to the company as a full-time employee?
Once these two standards are established, it becomes simpler to identify the type of candidate to search for and where to search for them.
For businesses and organisations, freelancing is often a safer alternative. Through freelance platforms such as Arc, Upwork and PeoplePerHour, it is easy to acquire the services of freelancers. If you require the completion of a single, targeted task, hiring a freelancer can be a budget-friendly resolution.
If you require a person to actualise your vision and possess the expertise and awareness to do so in the long run, employing a full-time developer is recommended.
9. Seek Candidates Who Are Actively Engaged on Suitable Platforms
Scanning for jobs on social media platforms or online job boards is not a productive utilisation of your time. Freelancing and social media sites frequently have a vast number of job seekers, especially when remote work is mentioned.
If you need a developer with proficiency in a specific language or framework, more efficient methods of hiring can be adopted.
Developers frequently share fragments of code and valuable guidance in online communities, recruiting platforms, or even in person meetings. Advertising in the vicinity is a possible avenue. Additionally, it is feasible to ask for endorsements from members of the community or guidance on the most efficient techniques for conducting an interview.
10. Look for External Help
If you find these technology recruitment concepts overwhelming, or if you are still struggling to fulfil vacant positions, consider seeking assistance from outside sources.
For more than a decade, Works has been the premier remote recruitment service for all companies seeking to hire remote developers, regardless of size. Unlike other agencies, we concentrate on hiring remote personnel and place a high emphasis on factors like English proficiency, compatibility with time zones, interpersonal abilities, and cultural alignment.
Do you want to learn more? We can offer you a remote developer within two weeks of your initial inquiry, owing to our extensive database, proficiency and resources.
Important Information on Technology Recruitment for Remote Positions
What does “Tech Recruiting” really mean?
The expression “technology recruitment” refers to the process of identifying, engaging, and eventually hiring individuals with technical abilities.Your Plan for Tech Recruitment
Acquiring knowledge of the industry is a crucial aspect of creating an efficient recruitment strategy. Investigate where your rivals acquire their talent, as well as which features are most valuable to software engineers, including the choice to work remotely, a competitive salary, and additional benefits.What distinguishes technology recruitment from other forms of hiring?
Recruiting technical personnel can be more difficult than other types of recruitment, as recruiters must possess an extensive understanding of the abilities they are assessing.
Hiring Proficient Professionals in the Technical Industry
At Works, we recognise the value of discovering the appropriate talent suited to your organisation’s requirements. We are committed to assisting you in saving time, money and effort through our all-inclusive recruitment process. Our search criteria comprises of technical proficiency, compatibility with the work culture, English proficiency, working hours, and more, making certain that you locate an ideal candidate for your company. Contact us today to find out how we can aid you with your recruitment needs.
