This Is How You Can Consistently Attract the Best Tech Talent

6 Tips for Recruiters from Our Software Engineers and Developers

You know the saying that employees are a company’s most valuable asset. We agree.

But how do you make sure you’re bringing in the best people? After all, a bad hire doesn’t just leave you with a sad face (nobody wants a sad face), it costs the company a lot of resources.

At VEON, as a way to improve our recruitment efforts, we actually sit down with our engineers to discuss how we can do a better job at attracting top tech talent. And yes, we do bring coffee, tea, and sweets to the conversation. What’s a conversation without those things?

Anyway, here are 6 tips we’ve gathered from our software engineers and developers about how recruiters can do a better job. See if you agree with these — and if there’s anything you’d like to add!

1. Read the resume — you’ll see something cool

Most recruiters do keyword searches to filter out unqualified candidates. This is good, but doesn’t necessarily help you pinpoint the best engineer for the position.

“It’s flattering that my skills and experience get the attention of so many recruiters, but please read through the resume/social profiles to know more about me. Don’t just keyword search and send a generic message,” suggests Andrew, a test automation engineer.

Sometimes what you find in a resume may do more than tell you if the person is a good fit for the job. The content could be inspiring, unique, or even funny.

Meet Andrew

“I have a friend who actually includes a catch in the middle of his resume to see if recruiters read it. He writes that he makes a really nice Ukrainian borscht,” describes Andrew.

Now, that’s cool.

2. 140 characters or less

“Do it Twitter-style,” exclaims Adnan, a DevOps engineer at VEON.

Adnan is right. Too often, recruiters write crazy long emails — and they simply aren’t read.

In fact, research suggests that the best emails are brief and straightforward. Recruiters should remember this.

“Recruiters should establish a connection without sounding aggressive. The Talent team at VEON originally got my attention because they simply sent a message that said, ‘Let’s talk about an opportunity!’ I was like, ‘Okay, let’s talk!’ It was short and casual — and I liked that,” recalls Adnan.

3. There’s a person behind the screen!

Recruiters should do a real search of the person and explore social media profiles, like those on GitHub, Stack Overflow, and LinkedIn. By finding common contacts, knowing about their career ambitions, and understanding their interests and hobbies, a recruiter can customize the first pitch to the engineer.

How about that for 21st-century recruiting?

Our team members think this strategy works — as long as it’s done in a professional way. After all, both the recruiter and engineer may enjoy flying drones on the beach or eating way too much ice cream, but the whole conversation shouldn’t be about those things. There’s a job to discuss here!

Flying high: how to play with drones in the sky_Meet Igor, Head of integration and systems support at Beeline Russia. In this interview, he gives insights on…_medium.com

“Go beyond just learning the name and seeing if the person has the qualifications. Learn something unique about the person, and make the approach in a direct, friendly, and personalized way,” says Julia, an iOS developer.

At the same time, recruiters should be concise the first time they contact engineers.

4. Do you really need a novel?

Unless you’re looking for the next Shakespeare, you don’t really need a super-long application. Because almost anyone can put together a solid resume and write a decent cover letter about why they’d be a good fit (with flowery compliments to the company included).

Unfortunately, too many HR departments want a novel. A study by Glassdoor shows the application process is longer than ever.

“Please don’t ask me to write a novel. Too many companies do this and it really turns me away. Instead, recruiters should want to see the programming work I’ve done and what excites me,” suggests Adnan.

In short, recruiters should place emphasis on the code portfolio — and not waste time asking people to write what they can do.

5. Talent + Teamwork = Greater Productivity

This equation isn’t difficult to grasp. But it’s true — exceptional teamwork among exceptional employees leads to exceptional results.

Sorry for all those ‘exceptionals’. But you get the point.

For recruiters, this means showing that the team functions and collaborates well — from HR to product to finance (and everything else).

“Ideally, in addition to the recruiter, a few different people at the company, especially those you’ll be working with, meet with you to discuss the job. By making it a team game, recruiters can show they’re a balanced, efficient organization. Of course, those doing the recruiting must be in sync with one another,” notes Julia.

The best engineers are great team players. So, show that your team plays well together during the hiring process. That’s how we got Benny, a UI/UX designer, to join VEON.

“I am inspired by the journey VEON is taking (from telecom to tech). VEON is committed to hiring top talent and building a great team, and the company’s vision aligns with mine.”

How to find patterns and realize dreams_Meet Benny, a UX/UI designer and data visualization specialist with the customer engagement team at VEON. In this…_medium.com

Look back at Benny’s words about how the company’s vision aligns with his. That takes us to tip number six.

6. Make it a win-win opportunity

Great engineers have a growth mindset — they thrive on challenges and pushing boundaries.

Sure, a nice paycheck for helicopter tours and ski trips is good enough for some good engineers. But the great ones strive to go higher than a helicopter ride.

“I advise fellow programmers to see if a job fits your own personality and ambitions. I also tell them to understand no theory is solid. Research, create, test, and improve. Keep in mind the line about teaching an old dog new tricks,” explains Elena, head of agile.

A Programmer’s Life: Create, Improve, Chill, Repeat_Oh, the life of a programmer! It’s a smooth ride — until madness happens._medium.com

That brings us to another point: Recruiters should show how a job can enable engineers to learn and grow. Because that’s how they can accomplish more.

“I’m a big believer in continual learning. I joined VEON because the company is like a green field — there’s a lot of room for growth and new ideas. You also have to challenge your own solutions,” describes Pierangelo, a backend engineer.

Embracing these mindsets will immediately improve your life: Advice from a Backend Engineer_Meet Pierangelo, a backend engineer at VEON. We had an amazing talk with him and wanted to share insights he has into…_medium.com

“I joined VEON because the company is going through a digital transformation. We’re building something from the ground that’s going to impact a lot of people. Some days are hard, but it’s truly rewarding to be a part of this. Because it’s amazing what we’re creating,” says Oliver, a backend engineer.

Final words: Go for great — not just good

“A great engineer doesn’t just learn new things. The best learn how to choose their tools properly. This is important, because too many engineers waste time and energy fighting the language and not focusing on the actual problem,” attests Rohit, a backend developer.

Great Engineers:

• Habitually simplify, making everything they touch cleaner and easier to use.
• They can debug anything quickly by attacking from different angles to find the issue.
• They understand what’s valuable — and make sure they’re solving those key problems.

Apply here:

APPLY HERE_To learn more about all the current openings at VEON click here:_medium.com

Build a team of superhero engineers

With the right approach, it can be done. The tips you’ve just read come straight from our talented software engineers and developers. Sprinkle in some of your own good ideas, and you’ll be able to consistently attract top tech talent to your team.

Then, once you have that superhero team, you’ll be able to make magic happen — and enjoy coffee, tea, and sweets at the end of the day.