With the advent of digital technology, automation, and now AI (artificial intelligence), the demand for top IT talent has increased year over year. But, tech talent isn’t just limited to programmers sitting at computers.

Today, finding top talent to fill a company’s IT needs is the latest driving force in recruitment. However, it’s one thing to find great talent; it’s another to keep it. How do you ensure your efforts to match great programming talent to their dream company sticks? A few unwritten rules and thinking outside the recruiter box are steps in the right direction.

Work without Walls: Consider Virtual and Remote Opportunities

Virtual teams, remote working apps, and the gig economy offer limitless possibilities for finding top talent anywhere. No longer limited by location, up and coming IT markets outside mainstream locations are a good place to look for great programming talent. While the East and West coasts of the U.S. have had the steadiest flow in tech talent over the years, other areas in the U.S. are establishing their presence in top IT talent. 

The U.S. isn’t the only country with rising talent, look to other countries such as Africa’s growing IT industry. Consider areas where there is a large talent pool with few opportunities.

Finding the Right Fit

With the demand for top tech talent high, prospective candidates can be choosy about whom they work for and in what position. The deciding factor often isn’t salary and benefits, but whether they can stand behind the company or product. Therefore, positioning your mission and how your hire will contribute are good indicators toward helping you find the right fit for your organization.

Once you’ve established your willingness to consider candidates beyond the traditional resume and location specific areas, now is the time to create a profile. What do you need to be done? Nearly everything is automated today and industries such as manufacturing and processing operations require top talent to man complex instrumentation systems used in high-tech companies. Do you need someone to manage your global network? Do you need someone who excels in cloud computing? What about someone to manage the controls in an industry that uses automation and robotics? Answering these questions can help you know where to begin your search.

Positioning Your Business to Attract Top Tech Talent

It’s easier to retain an employee than to find a new one, so the more prepared you are, the more likely you’ll retain top talent. Hiring is a two-fold process: you want to find the candidate with the right skillset, but you also want to make sure they fit your company culture.

A few ways to present your business in its best light include creating a packet of information you can share with your prospective candidate. Beyond your ideal profile, it should include a short description about your company including its mission and values, a list of your team, and quick elevator pitch about yourself and how this candidate could contribute to your company.

When you’re searching for prospective candidates, don’t underestimate the value, aptitude, and potential for their experience. The constantly changing face of the IT industry means programmers are always learning on the go. Whether it’s from on-the-job training or absorbing information from peers and mentors, they are learning in real-time. However, soft skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, and leadership are difficult to teach, so those who possess these assets are the most likely to become valuable team members.

While it’s important to know your candidate’s proficiency and have their technical skills vetted by someone in the industry, it’s also important to determine if they’re interested in learning. Even if they don’t have your particular tech stack, their willingness to learn and embrace new things can help determine if they’re a good candidate.

In Other Words…

One of the key elements in recruiting top tech talent today is being open to new opportunities. A creative approach can quickly help you identify and hire the best person for the job. In today’s gig economy, it’s easy to “test the waters” by hiring someone to consult or work on a short-term project.

From here, you can gauge their work habits, ethics, and whether they are a good fit based on your company’s challenges vs. their skillsets. Whatever approach you choose, remember, the paper says one thing, but a person in their element says quite another.