The Economy Is Strong – Your Recruiting Strategies Must Be Stronger

Recruiting IT professionals is a challenging career. Unprecedented unemployment plus segment expansion can launch this challenge to new, often dizzying heights. While the competition for top talent can be brutal, a shift in strategy could find you landing the right person for your position. As the available talent pool shrinks and key positions open up it is easy to fall into a trap of simply filling a hole. The temptation is there to snap up the first qualified candidate you find. Of course, this often ends with an employee who is not a good fit and possibly turns over leaving you where you started. Here are four strategies to help you land the right IT professional for your position.

Target Specific, Select Individuals

When targeting talent for key positions it pays to be specific. That means targeting specific individuals and tailoring your recruitment package to that individual. Individual candidate-focused campaigns demonstrate that you are truly interested in the candidate and that they will be valued at your organization. Use your network, colleagues, professional organizations and recruiting firms to keep a constant pool of talent.

Know Yourself

What makes your company different? Why should the candidate choose to work for you? In today’s market you have to be honest and self-aware of your strengths and weaknesses in order to successfully differentiate your company from the competition. Ass you assess each candidate determine how your strengths can become benefits to the applicant. Map this out and rehearse how you can communicate this with the candidate.

Understand Your Competitors

This goes hand-in-hand with knowing yourself. The only way to determine your strengths and weaknesses in the job market is to have a clear understanding of your competitors’ strengths and weaknesses. Learn everything you can from culture, to total compensation, to opportunities for advancement, et al. Knowing your competition as well as you know yourself will not only allow you to recognize your strengths, but also give you a roadmap of how to improve your weaknesses.

Look Under Rocks

Sometimes it is best to avoid the big recruiting platforms when searching for specific top talent. Look for smaller platforms such as local job or industry boards, listings on professional organization platforms, alumni groups, and of course referrals. Remember, you are looking for a specific person and it will be difficult to find that fish in a big pond.

We are fortunate to work in a sector that is dynamic and growing. That growth certainly presents challenges to recruiters, but it also presents opportunities. Happy hunting.

Danielle Foppe is a Recruitment Manager at Business Centric Technology. If you are interested in learning more about how to get the best IT talent in the Dallas metroplex, contact Danielle specializes in recruiting IT talent in Dallas, Ft. Worth and North Texas. If you are looking for a rewarding career contact us today.