Finding great technology talent in today’s market is not easy, but rest assured; great talent is out there. Not only are they out there, but they are ready to make a move, ready to evolve their skills, ready for the next exciting challenge! As a prospective employer it is your job to ensure that your organization is in the best possible position to find, attract, hire, and retain top talent when the opportunity presents itself.

Here are several things prospective employers can do to help ensure a competitive advantage when it comes to attracting top talent.

Emphasize the importance of attracting top talent - from the top down hiring managers / internal recruiters should be acutely aware of the need to attract top talent into the organization, and their responsibility for doing so. Even if a manager does not hire often, he/she should still understand the importance of the endeavor and give it the attention it deserves when the time arises.
Hire with a purpose - It is critical to understand whether you are hiring for talent or skills; as these are two different things. Oftentimes the distinction is role dependent, but knowing what you actually need will have a big impact on the recruitment process.
Instill accountability in the hiring process - Nothing scares away potential candidates faster than a shoddy hiring process, lack of communication, and poor feedback. Set processes for: 1). Role Analysis, Job Creation, Approval, and Distribution, 2). Candidate Engagement, Interview Process, Evaluation, Feedback, and Tracking, and 3). On-boarding and Ramping; and then holding those in the process accountable for success.
Flexibility within the role / headcount structure - Companies must be able to attract top talent when it’s available. This might mean shuffling roles and headcount at any given time to get the right talent in the door.
Agility in the hiring process - It is competitive out there and one must move quickly to capture the talent once identified. Ideally, all necessary hiring approvals should have been received prior to a candidate being selected. In this market you have to be prepared to move quickly.
Give people a reason - Why should someone come work for your company? This is a question that must be answered if you are hoping to attract top talent. The reasons you joined the company are likely different than what appeals to the younger generation. Many millennials value purpose and culture over stability and upward mobility and unique perks such as flexible schedules, work from home options, etc...over traditional benefits such as 401k matching. It is important for organizations to effectively articulate the reasons, rationals, and appeal for working at their company....beyond simply cashing a paycheck.

There is no magic pill to attracting top technology talent. Fortunately 10Roof is here to help! Contact 10Roof today to find out how we can help your company find, hire, and retain top technology professionals.