When it comes to securing the best technology talent, it’s important to move fast. Talent shortages in this sector mean most candidates will not struggle to find offers, and businesses with slow hiring processes are likely to see the best talent slip through the net.
It’s so competitive that we advise our clients to fulfil the recruitment process within one week for many contract roles and as soon as possible for permanent positions.
So, how can you streamline your processes and secure candidates quickly?
Refine your requirement
Before starting the process, it is important that organisations refine what they really need from a role. For example, having a certain number of years’ experience is often irrelevant these days, due to the pace of change in technology. In many cases, organisations would be better off looking for experience on similar projects.
Organisations should also consider whether some requirements can be learnt or trained. It is common to see companies demand niche skills that have only been on the market for a short period, which restricts the search. Often new tools or frameworks are similar enough that it is possible for many professionals to adapt to them quickly.
Furthermore, you should consider which skills will be needed at each stage of a project. If a certain ability will not be needed until the latter stages, there may be enough time to onboard a new colleague and upskill them while they work on the earlier stages.
Streamline your interview process
Something that we help many of our clients with is streamlining the interview process. As a technology recruitment specialist, we talk to quality candidates every day, and will have a feel for those that fit your requirements. A quality recruiter will keep things simple for you. Essential screening questions can replace the first-stage interview, saving time. From there, we usually aim to provide five CVs for the role, from which our clients will interview three candidates on the same day. If there is little difference between candidates a further round of interviews can be completed to find a frontrunner.
Improve the offer and onboarding process
Once you get to offer stage, it’s vital to have approvals from key stakeholders lined up. If you require a multi-level process, it’s best to start this ahead of the interview stage so that offers can be made quickly.
Likewise, ensuring the budget is signed off and having a clear idea of what you are willing to stretch to should be decided well before it comes to negotiations with a candidate.
When a candidate has accepted an offer, ensuring they are ready to hit the ground running will give them confidence in your organisation. With many roles becoming remote, one of the common delays is getting equipment set up and sent out to candidates ahead of their start date.
Build a real partnership
In the long term, building a strong partnership with a recruiter will allow you to move faster in the future. They can help you to understand what the market looks like in terms of the skills you are looking for and the offer you are providing to candidates. Misalignment of pay rates and working practices between employees and candidates can slow the market significantly.
Understand what to expect from a recruiter
If you do engage with a recruiter, make sure you get what you deserve from the relationship. Remember, not all recruiters are truly consultants. A good one can guide you, consult with you and help you secure the candidate you’re looking for. Finding one that fits your business will allow you to build trust over time, saving you countless hours in the future. By setting your requirements out clearly and embracing their expertise, you can work as a team to speed up your process and land the best talent.
If you’re interested in speeding up your hiring process, we can help.
