Survey: Securing Hard-to-Find Tech Talent Comes Down To Mix Of Recruiters, Flexibility And Higher Salaries
Security Tops List of 7 Roles That Take the Longest to Hire
MENLO PARK, Calif., Sept. 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- When recruiting gets tough, tech leaders are pulling out all the stops, according to new research from Robert Half Technology. When presented with a range of recruitment strategies, IT decision makers said they are likely to try them all in order to land the best talent for their teams. These strategies include using recruiters, offering job flexibility and offering more pay.
Technology leaders were asked, "Which of the following are you willing to do when you face challenges filling an open full-time role?" Below are the top four responses along with advice from Robert Half Technology on how to maximize each strategy. View an infographic to see all the hiring strategies IT leaders use.
Recruitment Strategy |
Percentage |
Robert Half Technology says… |
Work with a specialized recruiter |
46% |
Specialized recruiters have access to an untapped candidate pool and can help streamline the hiring process. Look for a recruiter who knows your local employment market well and can identify your hiring needs. |
Be more flexible on skills requirements and provide training to new hires |
45% |
A lack of flexibility on candidate skills and experience, especially in a talent-short market, could be detrimental to hiring efforts. Look for someone who meets 75 percent of the role's requirements and is highly motivated to learn and grow. |
Divide responsibilities among existing team |
45% |
Asking staff to temporarily take on additional work allows them to stretch their skills. However, make sure the extra work doesn't overburden — and then burn out — your team. |
Increase the salary/compensation package |
43% |
Offer compensation that matches or exceeds local market rates to attract top tech talent. Use resources, such as the Robert Half Technology 2019 Salary Guide, to help you set competitive salaries. |
*Multiple responses permitted. Top responses shown.
"In a tight labor market, technology leaders must be as agile with their recruiting efforts as they are with project management," said Ryan Sutton, a district president for Robert Half Technology. "If you're adaptable with your hiring tactics and offering competitive compensation packages, your candidate pool will expand."
Toughest IT Positions to Staff
Safety of company and customer information is a top priority for technology leaders, so data security professionals are often in high demand. And according to the research, they're also the hardest to hire for. When asked which technology roles generally take the longest to staff, IT leaders ranked the specialties as follows:
- Security
- Software development
- Data analytics
- Networking
- Project management
- Help desk/support
- Mobile
"Technology leaders should act fast when they find a suitable candidate for in-demand roles in security and software development," continued Sutton. "Avoid losing top talent to a competitor by keeping the recruitment process thorough yet efficient."
Survey Methodology
The online survey was developed by Robert Half Technology and conducted by a leading independent research firm. The report is based on responses from more than 2,500 senior managers in 26 major U.S. markets. All respondents were screened to have hiring authority for the information systems or information technology department of a company. The margin of error is +/-1.9 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level.
About Robert Half Technology
With more than 100 locations worldwide, Robert Half Technology is a leading provider of technology professionals for initiatives ranging from web development and multiplatform systems integration to network security and technical support. Robert Half Technology offers online job search services at roberthalf.com/technology. Visitors can also request a copy of the Robert Half Technology 2019 Salary Guide.
SOURCE Robert Half Technology
Share this article