The crazy perfect solution for your skilled tech labor shortage.

You’re going to hate it. Tough shit.

Let’s start with what we know about the ass-backwards hiring processes employed within America (with a little context thrown in for shits and giggles).

We already know the hiring process is broken. We know that many recruiters employ a 6-second skim rule when looking over resumes, which is garbage. They’re throwing talent into the trash because they can’t be arsed to read words. No wonder it’s so hard to hire rock stars.

We know that it’s extremely difficult for many people to be assertive and own their confidence, especially in the workplace. Coupled with lowballing the shit out of workers, this leads to less raises, and less agency for employees. It’s almost like the system was designed to prevent hiring and retaining talent.

Source: me.

We know that the media hates millennials even though they make up the majority of the US labor force. It’s almost as though shitting on the majority of the work force is a BAD thing.

We know that everyone seems to wants to hire women into the tech industry. But seeming and doing are two different things. It’s basically like saying you need more Doritos for the party but, you know, you don’t bother to buy more Doritos. You don’t get to complain about it later.

And yet…

There seems to be a lack of talented applicants. Did that make you puke in your mouth a little bit? I wish I was making this shit up, but sadly, employers are having a hard time putting butts in seats (or behind monitors).

There’s a problem with hiring skilled labor. It seems really, really, really difficult to do for no apparent reason. And I’ve found the #1, super simple, super easy, crazy awesome solution. It’s going to blow your goddamn mind.

Employers, hiring managers, recruiters, and human resources alike: you are going to hate the solution I’m about to tell you. But it’ll solve your skilled labor shortage almost instantly.

Are you ready?

Photo by Clark Tibbs on Unsplash

Apply to hire us. Not the other way around. We’re done spinning our wheels.

You know what you’re looking for, you know what you need, and if a quick glance can tell you easily if a candidate matches your needs, you already have the skill required to solve this dilemma. Start applying to hire us.

Yup. That’s right. I’m done applying for jobs in the traditional sense (unless Buffer opens its gates). Instead, I want you to [apply to hire me](mailto: [email protected]) and other people like me.

If there’s a shortage of women in tech, and a shortage of PoC, it’s your turn to do your due diligence. Browse websites, and get cracking. You need to fill the role, and it’s actually costly not to do so? Apply to us.

Photo by Damian Zaleski on Unsplash

Those That Hire: you already have to wade through hundreds upon hundreds of applicants when you post a job, or several. Why not cut down on that number by picking the best and the brightest immediately?

Why not go directly to people you want to hire? Why does this seem harder than posting on a job portal and getting spammed by thousands of applicants?

Desperate candidates will apply everywhere, at spam-level intensity, even if the role is ill-fit. Does it suck to kibosh that opportunity for people? Sure. But let’s be completely, 100% honest about this: you weren’t going to hire them anyways.

People have changed, the world has changed, why are you still posting jobs like it’s 1997? Start applying to us, and you’ll see a huge difference in the level of skilled workers you accrue.

Photo by Caique Silva on Unsplash

Because if you cut out the middleman bullshit, and simply went for t_he best candidate_, from the get-go, you wouldn’t need to waste countless hours of your time swimming through 600+ applications like a waterlogged diaper. Sorry for that imagery — but you get the picture.

You: Huh. Applying to candidates saves time, money, resources, and drops the spammers like a hot potato? Wow, Kira Leigh, I never knew I could go out of my comfort zone and message a few people on Linkedin, or perhaps visit a few websites. Thusly cutting my busywork time down significantly.

How do I do this, exactly?

Photo by Leong Lok on Unsplash

Fixing your skilled labor shortage is ridiculously easy, especially in tech. Most tech roles should offer remote work as an option by now — we’re in 2017, get with the times. Your candidates are all over the world.

Here are the super simply, crazy easy steps on how to hire a rock star, easily:

1. Know what skills your role needs before you embark on your hiring adventure_._
2. Actually know what the job fully entails before trying to hire someone.
3. Know who you’re really, realistically looking for to fill this roll. And it better not be the same milquetoast silicon valley bro-dude — diversify goddamnit.
4. Have a number in mind for the salary of your would-be employee — use glassdoor.com to compare and contrast. Never hire cheap — you’ll get cheap. Or, worse than that, a talented employee who burns out.
5. Go on linkedin, go to reddit, go on google, go on twitter, look up websites — go where the people are. And start reaching out to people you want to work with.

This will get you the highest level candidates and completely remove the resume-spamfest that are job portals from your daily grind.

Fixing your skilled labor shortage is ridiculously easy. Go where the people are and reach out to them directly. It’s not rocket science.

Don’t believe me? I challenge you to try to fill a role this way. I empower you to cut out the traditional hiring process that is giving you, me, and everyone else a migraine.

Photo by rawpixel.com on Unsplash

Let’s get this party started.

Kira Leigh is a snarky marketing nerd, writer, and [artist](http://its basically all gone, better REBUILD IT). See her work here and send her a message if you want to [work](mailto: [email protected]) together with her amazeballs team.

Special thanks to Renato P. dos Santos for his continued support**.**