Tech recruitment: Prepare

for unparalleled growth

The tech industry is a behemoth that shows no sign of slowing. Recent

studies from the Bureau of Labor Statistics have shown that by 2024,
software developer jobs will increase by 18.8% and computer systems
analytics jobs will rise by 20.9%1.

Even in 2020 when many industries were shaken off track, tech continued
to grow. Companies across the globe relied on tech more than ever to
complete their daily functions. At the emergence of COVID-19, software
became a catalyst for growth.

Zoom, Slack, GoToMyPC, Zoho Remotely, Microsoft Office365, Atlassian,

and many others transformed from being tools used in offices to their very
lifeblood. Meanwhile, as the world stayed in, entertainment services like
Netflix, Amazon Prime or Disney Plus all became household essentials. This
was reflected in the markets, as not even a global pandemic could shake
the grip and power of big tech. Big Tech reasserted its dominance in the
coronavirus era, with the Nasdaq 100 climbing 15 per cent in April 20202.

And as we all know, with any growth, comes hiring.

1
https://www.fastcompany.com/3058422/these-will-be-the-top-jobs-in-2025-and-the-skills-youll-need-to-get-them
2
https://www.ft.com/content/d2e09235-b28e-438d-9b55-0e6bab7ac8ec
What has changed?

The explosion of the gig economy

The tech industry has always been a few steps ahead. Already big
proponents of working from home and flexible working hours, these aren’t
big developments or indeed pluses for your typical tech candidate. While
many of us might be using collaborative working tools for the first time,
the tech industry has been using tools developed to help facilitate remote
collaboration for a long time now, like JIRA.

What has changed however is the availability of jobs and the very real
possibility of working in a gig economy.

Increasing number of tech talent have reported a desire to give up their fixed
nine to five and this matches well with reports that 80% of large corporations
planning to substantially increase their use of a flexible workforce3.

And why wouldn’t they? It’s significantly cheaper, both in terms of time and
spend.

“Nice to have” becomes “need to know”

Free agent employment will have huge implications for recruitment. Tech
recruiting will become a continuous function and will require recruiters to
have a deep understanding of the specifics of the roles they are filling. No
more can recruiters skate by on flimsy or shallow knowledge of the roles
they are filling.

While the onus could lie with recruiters to self-educate (never a bad thing),
this is really an opportunity for hiring managers to contribute significantly
to the hiring process. They can do this by fully informing and educating
their recruiters to understand the need, function and key qualities
required by an ideal candidate.

Want to learn more about tech recruiting?

Check out the Tech Sector Knowledge courses on SocialTalent.

3
http://http-download.intuit.com/http.intuit/CMO/intuit/futureofsmallbusiness/intuit_2020_report.pdf
What are the technologies to watch out for?

Tech is ever-evolving. Likely many technologies of the next five years do not yet exist.
However, of those which do, these are the few that are only going to increase their
importance and impact.

1. Artificial intelligence
The most popular technologies within this field will be machine learning and user
interfaces, like speech and gesture recognition technology.

2. Advanced robotics
There will be several advances in machine vision, sensors, motors and materials
that can change the way products and services will be delivered.

3. Biometric technology
TeleSign4 conducted a study which showed that 72% of organisations intend
to drop traditional passwords by 2025. Eye, face, hand, signature and voice
recognition and identification services will develop to provide this need.

4. Genomics
Genetic Engineering Technology is believed to increase with faster computer
processing speeds. For example, DNA sequencing technologies and advanced
analytics can be beneficial for extending human life expectancy.

5. Blockchain
The use of this technology is still in its infancy, but is already booming.

4
https://www.telesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Telesign-Report-Beyond-the-Password-June-2016-1.pdf
How to hire remote tech staff
Used to hiring in-house for office based staff? While many of your recruitment
practices still are valid, some will need a little tweaking. Here’s four elements to
consider and include in your process.

1 Perform screening tests

With tech talent, experience can outweigh qualifications. And while someone
might interview very well, ultimately that is irrelevant to their function of a
technical task. Being able to verify what someone says they can do with a
simple test is reasonable and expected. Hiring managers can help you to set
the task and should be expected to provide feedback on the results.

Ask them to solve a problem verbally

2
While the test can be done offline, it is a worthy endeavour to ask them how
they would solve a problem. Hearing a conversational answer will show you
how they solve problems, and communicate their thinking. Remote workers
need to have more sophisticated communication skills to counteract not
being in the office full time. The more cynical among us might also suggest
it confirms they definitely know their stuff (and didn’t receive help on the
screening test). Having a number of tests or challenges like this throughout
the process also helps to remove bias from the hiring team.

Don’t be complacent with checking references

3
A no brainer? Maybe, but when hiring remote tech talent, reference checking
cannot afford to become a “mere formality”. Be sure to outline that the role is
remote - it’s easy to get demotivated when working remotely, so healthy levels
of energy and enthusiasm in candidates is a must.

Don’t just “sell” it. Make sure you HAVE

4 the best remote experience

It’s important to be aware of what is entailed with remote working positions,

and how it can affect people. While there are lots of benefits, remote workers
regularly report issues like loneliness, lack of engagement, burn out and
feelings of isolation. These are all issues which better communication can
solve, both with the team and specifically, a manager. If you’re hiring remote
staff, it’s important that you not only sell the best remote experience, but also
have confidence that you can deliver it as well.
How to stay up to date in tech
Tech is a fast paced industry, full of new trends and emerging technologies.
Needs and roles change regularly.

As a recruiter, what can you do to keep abreast of this notoriously evolving

industry? Here’s three tips to always bear in mind:

1. Accept change
Change isn’t something anyone generally likes. Knowledge is
difficult to obtain, so it can sting when we realise our hard earned
know-how is no longer relevant.

But recruiting in tech means this will happen, and frequently.

Accept this, and ready yourself for it.

2. Keep an eye on the industry

Watch the industry for news, changes, and emerging trends or
technologies.

Knowing the industry inside out means you will be better placed to
spot future competencies and skill sets that could be useful to you
or your company.

3. Constantly iterate your hiring process

In a world of change, there are elements you can control. Having
a smooth and functional hiring process is something which
will always serve you well. Seek feedback from all stakeholders,
candidates (both successful and unsuccessful) included.

When the needs of the industry, as well as the needs of candidates,

are ever-changing, your hiring process will need to adapt to serve
them both.
 In the next chapter, we will explore onboarding. Crucial to the ongoing
success of your new hire, onboarding is all too often half-baked, ill-considered
or skated over. Compound that with the more recent explosion of remote
working we’ve all experienced – how can you onboard someone when they
won’t be in the office? How does the remote workers’ experience differ, and
how can you accommodate that? We’ll explore this and share tips and tricks to
set you up for success.

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