6 Proven Ways To Source Top Tech Talent in 2020

If recruiting candidates for regular job positions wasn’t hard enough, talent sourcing for technical candidates is another challenge altogether. According to several research studies, information technology positions are almost impossible roles to fill due to a dearth of candidates. On the plus side, recruiters are now seeing 16% of candidates looking for jobs, while 75% of candidates looking for new opportunities. Due to a higher number of ‘passive candidates’ on the list, recruiters can’t always locate them on regular job websites.

Now, you could be a multinational company hiring fifty developers or a ten-person startup searching for a freelancer, you need to have a talent sourcing strategy in place. Tech talent is a tough road, so you are welcome to follow us to know more about hiring the best in the market.

Here are a few things to help you start:

Talent sourcing strategy begins with job description

There are several recruiters and human resource professionals who are not adept in recruiting and handle tech talent and miss out on essential skills. Anybody in the technology industry would know that certain job positions need specific professional and soft skills, which again needs a comprehensive job description.

You can ease this process by mapping your current talent pool with future candidates and deciding on the kind of candidate that you need. Use productivity analysis or project management tools that analyse the performance of your present team members. For example, Google Sheets and Trello assist you in identifying and evaluating competence within the organisation.

Most enterprises have planning strategies to combat their annual budget, but they rarely include talent acquisition teams. Instead, a fixed yearly budget is set for HR teams that doesn’t match the market at all. Streamlining job descriptions gives you a clearer view of what exactly you require to keep the company moving – targets, investments and initiatives are crucial discussion points. Also, HR teams get a chance to demonstrate their contribution to the talent source.

Know the talent pool

Once you understand the exact requirements for the open job position, you will know the kind of a candidate that you want. Now, you must determine the job roles for these candidates and what they could bring to the enterprise. Technical candidates look for different requirements over their regular counterparts, so you must identify core skills that the role entails. Though keywords are essential, avoid too much technical jargon that can put off a potential candidate.

Technical candidates are open to learning about new skills, which would enhance their marketability. Mentioning brand-new tools and technology used in your enterprise will arouse their interest in the company as well. Inclusion and diversity matter as much as innovation, compensation, learning and career advancement.

The best way to chalk out a talent sourcing strategy is to have a discussion with functional heads and hiring managers about the challenges that they face during the recruitment process and make decisions as per your targets.

Use techie language

As with any other candidate, no developer likes to see a recruiter who isn’t confident of their tech proficiency and industry language. These people have spent time learning and training themselves to apply for a job, and they would only expect the best out of you. They will sense your lack of confidence in understanding the job position and would have second thoughts about joining the company.

Though you need not be an avid techie, you should know about basic programming languages, tools and certifications to have a meaningful conversation. Educate yourself with social media, online forums and community groups.

Throw an engaging challenge

One of the greatest ways for talent sourcing is to challenge your candidate, for they love opportunities to explore and show their skills. This is not only a good lead generation strategy, but it also gives you a chance to assess if they are perfect for the open position, once they can mail you the solution. Let in interesting details on your websites and products, so that they know the genre of work that they will be doing if hired.

Where is the talent hidden?

Since most tech candidates don’t advertise themselves on traditional job websites, you, as a recruiter, need to widen your search options. Channel your talent sourcing abilities on tech community forums, websites, events and marketplaces. You can even use the present employees to spread the word.

Employee referral programmes work great as well, as recruiters test candidates recommended by their employees. They can reduce cost-per-hire employment and improve employee performance through their referrals, but they must be present to get the new hire acquainted to the enterprise. Some other forums to check are:

• GitHub is a great option for coders and developers to store their projects. Codes can be categorised under various programming languages and repositories such as followers, location and language. Just like any other platform, more followers hint at better credibility.
• LinkedIn is a popular talent sourcing channel for candidates and recruiters alike, as you can join industry-related groups to gain relevant insights. You can cut the clutter and promote yourself, as it is an incredible branding podium for your company. LinkedIn Recruiter enables you to access candidates based on job titles, industries and locations through its algorithm-based network. Searching for ideal candidates has only become easier.
• Stack Overflow is a wonderland for developers and coders as they answer relevant questions on the website, and are awarded gold, silver and bronze badges as per their contribution. Thus, you can view a candidate’s expertise as per your job requirements.
• AngelList is good for startup job opportunities, especially for technical positions. You can only contact people who are interested in the organisation to speed up the recruiting process. Of course, you should begin with a company profile in the first place.

Recruit with events

Though digital platforms connect you with talent sourcing to a great extent, face-to-face interactions are always important. Arrange meet-ups, career fests and hackathons to establish relationships with interested candidates, give them a peek into your organisation, and know more about their capabilities.

Introduce existing employees and their completed projects using brand-new technology to incite an interest in potential candidates. If you are more of an online person, organise global tech events, like webinars, to make an impact.

With all said and done, tech talent sourcing remains an untapped field. Your workplace practice, values and culture play a role in deciding a talent sourcing strategy. Optimise your hiring strategy as per the demands of your company and start sourcing in talent for your open technical positions to hire the best among them.