How small businesses can compete for tech talent

Recruiting tech talents is a great challenge for companies working in any domain & of any size. According to a survey by Indeed, finding & hiring IT professionals is a difficult task for 86% of agencies.

From healthcare to manufacturing, any industry feels the need for qualified tech workforce. The demand for IT specialists is much higher than the quantity of available experts right now. Thus, to attract top tech specialists, modern companies need to find new & creative hiring methods. These are several effective ways helping small businesses to win this battle, competing with large corporations.

1. Expand your search area.

Thankfully, now recruiters don’t need to limit their research to a specific city or region. In fact, if HR managers do so, they are missing out the best tech minds. For example, in 2017 there were 100 000 tech experts in Ukraine only, and this number is constantly growing. Hiring Ruby developers remotely can become the only right decision if there’s a lack of necessary developers in-house. In fact, remote recruitment can save entrepreneurs significant time & money. That’s why it becomes more popular every day.

2. Provide perks & assets that large companies can’t offer.

In large companies, job duties are usually very specific & narrowly defined. On the other hand, small business creates little to no boundaries for its employees in terms of gaining new skills & growing. If willing, tech talent can wear multiple hats & take new responsibilities. This gives the employees a sense of trust & importance. A personalized career path is an important benefit of small companies over the large ones.

3. Build your brand.

Staying involved in the community events allows companies to present themselves in front of large audiences. Businesses meet their potential consumers & employees, which is necessary to build a reputation & gain credibility. Participating in meetups, conferences & events is an effective tactics for small companies, who want to become largely known & promote themselves. Moreover, it’s a good networking opportunity, allowing to connect with your colleagues.

4. Offer what’s important to the candidate & add the cherry on top.

Most of tech talents are looking for challenging projects & comfortable work environment. Some of them appreciate flexible working schedule, while others may highly value the salary and special bonuses. Find out what matters the most to your candidates and customize the offering to their preferences. Small businesses should be able to distinguish themselves from others — and in some cases, little details play a decisive role.

5. Make the recruitment process fast & productive.

When companies need to find tech talents fast, they often choose the first one fitting basic requirements for a current position. However, this may not be the best strategy. Evaluate all the candidates, then take a correct & timely decision.

Instead of hiring specialists who share your vision & company culture, choose the candidates who find another ways to solve the same problems. This will result in much higher productivity & more diverse team structure. And of course, this will open a much larger talent pool for you.

Takeaways

Taking into account new market challenges & tendencies, small companies should modify & update their recruiting approach. Contacting a software development company that is located overseas is becoming more & more popular. The lack of tech talent dominates IT recruitment niche at the moment, and businesses should adjust accordingly.

Above all, tech specialists are just human beings, who are looking for an enjoyable & profitable place to work. Keep this in mind when hiring highly-skilled professionals to join your team. Combining various useful tactics, you can stay competitive & attract the best tech talents in the market.