The Covid-19 pandemic has hit companies and society in ways that were previously unthinkable. But as the old saying goes: crisis breeds opportunity and businesses are looking at how they can use this time to grow – and future-proof – their organisations through recruitment.
The global pandemic has meant many companies have had to downsize or make workers redundant. Some sectors are on the verge of collapse. This makes for gloomy reading, but it also means there are unprecedented numbers of talented individuals looking for new job opportunities.
According to data published by ONS earlier this year, there are nearly 1.6 million people employed in technology roles in the UK.
In terms of hiring tech talent right now, there is a huge amount of potential. As the world looks for ways to recover and grow post-pandemic and seeks out the next normal, there isn’t just more tech talent to choose from, there’s better talent out there, too.
The changing demand for tech talent
Since the start of the pandemic, the demand for tech talent has evolved. What started as an increased demand for people who could enable remote working, soon changed to the search for qualified cybersecurity candidates. The rise in remote workers saw companies hiring people with the skills to create secure home working environments and rapid deployment of new systems.
Then came a rising demand for data analysts and data scientists who could crunch the numbers and try to predict what the pandemic held in store for us.
As businesses work hard to get their ducks in a row, it’s no surprise that an estimated100,000+ new jobs have been created in the UK since April 2020. Or that employment across the tech sector has risen by 11% in two years to almost three million, according to Tech Nation.
Today, companies are taking a less reactionary, more strategic approach to their search for tech talent. This makes it the perfect time for businesses to start hiring again and benefiting from the rich pool of tech talent.
Considerations when recruiting tech talent
Naturally, the top tech talent is going to be hard to pin down – let alone recruit and retain. Every year presents different recruitment challenges and the past 12 months have delivered challenges unlike any other.
But with the right support, there’s no reason why your 2021 tech recruitment drive can’t be a success. To get you started, here are five considerations.
1 Demand for talent is going to fierce
Hiring in a highly competitive market is not for the faint-hearted. There’s an abundant tech talent pool right now, but that supply isn’t going to last forever. We may reach a time when demand for talent is increasing faster than the number of tech professionals available. At which point, companies might struggle to find qualified candidates to fill roles. With organisations competing for the same skillset, contractors could offer a solution.
2 You need to look beyond tech skills alone
Companies don’t just want candidates with the relevant technical expertise, they also want people with industry experience, business acumen and communication skills. As a result, we may see companies considering applicants without formal qualifications, broadening their geographical search, or actively pursuing passive candidates.
3 Top talent doesn’t come cheap
Tech professionals are well aware they are in high demand. They also know this gives them the upper hand when it comes to negotiating salary and benefits. Yes, they want to find the right role, but they also want to be rewarded for the skills and expertise they bring to a company. It’s up to organisations to sell the role – and the brand – to those candidates. And remember: we’re not just talking about money here.
Employee benefits, perks, and career progression opportunities can all be used to sweeten the deal. Although, performance-based bonuses won’t do any harm…
4 Long recruitment processes could mean you miss out
In the cut-throat world of tech recruitment, it’s important that businesses look at ways to shorten their recruitment process. The longer it takes to hire someone, the more likely a potential candidate will get snapped up by a rival organisation. Think about how a scaled-down recruitment process could work and why working with a specialist tech recruitment partner could be a game-changer.
5 Future-proofing needs to be a priority
Covid-19 isn’t going away any time soon, and businesses have realised it’s something they need to consider in future plans. Digital transformation has been a key focus for many companies for some time, but these programmes need to evolve to meet the evolving needs of employees and customers. Companies need to work in an agile or semi-agile way, recruiting talent to enable change and develop the applications and technology that will enable them to move forward in the future.
No one said recruiting talent while the world recovers from a pandemic would be easy. But with the expertise of a recruitment partner by your side, it’s sure to be less challenging.
At Talent, we can help and support your company’s recruitment drive and win you the top candidates in the Microsoft space. We operate as an extension of your team, working in partnership with you to provide agile solutions to your recruitment challenges.
Get in touch to find out how we can help you unleash the power of Microsoft technology.
If you’re a Microsoft professional looking for a new challenge or a business looking for Microsoft experts to represent your brand, we’re here to help. So, get in touch.
ms.talentinternational.com // zak.sheikh@talentinternational.com // + 44 7912 528 378
