How to Attract Top Tech Talent: A Full Guide
With tech-enabled transformations on the rise, even non-tech companies are tech companies to some extent.
This is not so good news for tech businesses, who at one time only had to compete against each other for candidates. Today, non-tech industries are snatching up skilled tech talent left and right to boost their productivity and efficiency game, and it’s been happening for a while.
This shift to digital operations across all sectors has made attracting and retaining top talent a challenge. In a highly competitive economy, where the demand for skilled tech professionals continues to outpace the supply, companies may need to do some convincing to get skilled professionals to join and stay.
With Cloud Academy, you can get the skills you want to fill the roles you need. Learn how our customers are using the Cloud Academy platform to build tech skills training programs that scale and contact us for a free demo!
In this guide you will find practical advice to help you snag top industry talent. We will explore the current state of the tech talent shortage, common recruitment strategies, key factors that attract tech talent, and offer a step-by-step strategy with actionable tips.
Additionally, we’ll discuss how Cloud Academy can help companies in attracting and retaining top talent through successful partnerships.
- The tech talent shortage
- Ways tech companies try to attract tech talent
- What really attracts tech talent
- 6 steps to attracting tech talent
- How Cloud Academy helps companies attract tech talent
- FAQs
The tech talent shortage
The U.S. tech talent shortage, at its core, it’s a simple matter of supply and demand. The acceleration of tech innovation, fueled by the rise of AI, machine learning, and IoT, is generating an ever-increasing demand for skilled tech professionals. However, the supply of such talent simply isn’t keeping pace. Several reasons underlie this.
The growing skill gap
Many business leaders have come to realize that the skills their organizations will need in the future are not the same ones they’ve required in the past. With the global digital transformation market projected to surpass $1.5 trillion in 2027, the need for skilled labor will only increase, and skill gaps will widen. To combat the issue, rather than to hire new people, many companies have turned to upskilling or reskilling existing employees to fill tech positions – elevating skills so workers can move up (or laterally) to fill in-demand positions.
High rates of turnover
McKinsey and Company said it best, “ The great attrition has become the great renegotiation.” Tech professionals are quitting in search of higher salaries, better benefits and growth opportunities. Companies everywhere are feeling the pressure as the inability to timely hire tech talent affects their bottom line. And beyond keeping the business from moving into new markets and growing profits, organizations are struggling to keep pace with the competition.
Outdated recruitment strategies
Many companies try to tackle current issues with antiquated methods: asking for referrals or outdated job postings. Today, almost half (45%) of companies still prioritize college degrees as a top factor for determining candidates’ skills, despite the fact that multiple studies have found they aren’t indicative of future performance. More than 90% of HR leaders are concerned that their recruitment and hiring methods will not be enough to fill their open tech roles.
With Cloud Academy, you can get the skills you want to fill the roles you need. Learn how our customers are using the Cloud Academy platform to build tech skills training programs that scale and contact us for a free demo!
Ways tech companies try to attract tech talent
With a difficult labor market for tech talent, businesses are now challenged with hiring and retaining the best workers they can find. Tech companies once assumed that offering higher salaries and fluffy benefits would attract the right candidates. However, times have changed, and so have the needs and priorities of tech employees. Today’s candidates are in search of supportive work environments – opportunity, flexibility, and recognition are all elements of that. They’re not the only ones, however.
Other aspects that really matter include diversity and inclusion, which studies have found to be particularly important to attracting new talent. According to a recent study performed by Bain & Company, only 13% of companies feel they can attract and keep much needed tech talent.
What really attracts top tech talent?
The hiring process is just as much about the company selling itself to candidates, as it is about the candidate selling themselves to the company. To attract top tech talent, it’s important to focus on the factors that matter most to candidates, and how your organization can deliver on them.
Company culture
A strong culture that promotes teamwork, community, inclusivity, and demonstrates a passion for the mission and team, increases engagement exponentially. Companies with a robust culture have up to 72% higher employee engagement than those whose cultures are misaligned or need improvement.
We get that building a strong corporate culture is no easy feat, but it comes with a number of perks: It helps recruiters entice elite candidates and retain top talent. Not only that, but it has been shown to improve levels of employee engagement, productivity and performance. Happy employees, who are fulfilled in their roles, work harder and stick around.
Learning opportunities
Tech professionals thrive in environments that offer continuous learning and development. Highlight programs like mentorship, training budgets, and support for certifications. Show that your company is committed to investing in its employees’ professional growth. Lack of opportunity and career growth is a common reason why good employees leave companies—and it’s key to attracting new talent.
If you don’t have a solid program in place, build it now. Improve in-house training, reimburse for outside training and offer practical training opportunities to use new skills for real-world tasks. Support creative thinkers and give them room to grow.
Cloud Academy is a leading online training platform that offers a wide range of courses and learning paths in tech-related fields that are a benefit tech employees are looking for. Contact us and request a free demo to find out how Cloud Academy can help your company build a solid training program!
Work-life balance
Tech companies are known for offering uncommon company perks, like free lunch, pet-friendly environments, napping pods. However, today’s tech candidates aren’t interested in the ability to take naps during business hours.
They want simpler benefits that support work-life balance and wellness. Benefits like unlimited PTO, mental health support, fitness and gym reimbursements, free childcare, tuition and educational reimbursements and generous parental leave, to name a few. Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is crucial for this bunch. So, be sure to showcase flexible work arrangements, remote work options, and initiatives promoting employee well-being.
6 Steps to attracting tech talent
#1 Build an Employer Brand
Craft a compelling employer brand that highlights your company’s unique value proposition. Showcase your company culture, mission, and values on your website and social media platforms.
#2 Optimize Job Descriptions
Write clear and concise job descriptions that accurately reflect the role’s responsibilities and requirements. Highlight the opportunities for growth and the impact candidates can make in your company.
#3 Leverage social media
Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook to promote your company culture, share employee success stories, and engage with the tech community. Actively participate in relevant discussions and showcase your company’s expertise.
#4 Embrace remote work
Consider offering remote work options to attract top talent beyond your local area. Remote work flexibility has become increasingly important to tech professionals and can expand your candidate pool.
#5 Create a positive candidate experience
Ensure that your recruitment process is efficient, transparent, and respectful. Communicate regularly with candidates and provide constructive feedback. A positive candidate experience helps build your company’s reputation.
#6 Offer competitive compensation and benefits
While small and medium-sized companies may not always match the compensation packages of larger corporations, it’s important to offer competitive salaries and benefits that align with industry standards. Consider other incentives like stock options or performance bonuses.
How Cloud Academy helps companies attract tech talent
Cloud Academy is a leading online training platform that offers a wide range of courses and learning paths in tech-related fields. Partnering with Cloud Academy can help tech companies attract and retain top talent in the following ways:
Upskilling and continuous learning
Cloud Academy provides comprehensive learning resources to help employees upskill and stay updated with the latest technologies. This contributes to a culture of continuous learning and development within your organization.
Certification and career advancement
Cloud Academy offers certification training, enabling employees to enhance their professional credentials. This benefits both the individual’s career advancement and the company’s reputation.
Cost-effective training solutions
Cloud Academy’s platform offers cost-effective training options for companies of all sizes. This allows small and medium-sized companies to provide quality training without breaking the budget.
With Cloud Academy, you can get the skills you want to fill the roles you need. Learn how our customers are using the Cloud Academy platform to build tech skills training programs that scale and contact us for a free demo!
FAQs
What do tech employees care about most when considering a new job?
Tech employees prioritize factors such as company culture, learning opportunities, work-life balance, competitive compensation, and career growth potential.
Which tech talent roles are most in demand?
Some of the most in-demand tech talent roles included software engineers, data scientists, cybersecurity professionals, AI and machine learning specialists, and cloud architects.
How can companies grow their tech talent?
Companies can foster a culture of continuous learning and development by providing opportunities for upskilling and training. This can include offering internal training programs, mentorship initiatives, encouraging employees to attend conferences and webinars, and partnering with online training platforms like Cloud Academy to provide accessible and relevant learning resources.
Conclusion
Attracting top tech talent is a challenge for small and medium-sized tech companies, but with the right strategies and a focus on key factors that matter to candidates, it is achievable. By emphasizing company culture, learning opportunities, and work-life balance, while adopting a step-by-step recruitment strategy, HR managers can attract and retain the best tech talent for their organizations. Partnering with platforms like Cloud Academy can provide additional support in upskilling employees and fostering a culture of continuous learning, leading to long-term success in talent acquisition.
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