Finding the right talent for tech roles is essential for any business today. At Rockstar Recruiting, we understand this and are here to support you in acquiring the best tech talent through our talent network and tech events. Today, we present you with these eight effective strategies that can help you find the best tech talent.
Tech recruiting is the act of identifying, interviewing, and hiring qualified individuals to fill tech roles in your company. In light of the talent gap in Switzerland and Europe, tech recruiting remains a constant challenge. Especially, as the constant evolution of technology makes it difficult to keep up with the latest trends. Fortunately, there are effective strategies that can help you find the best tech talent for your team(s).
Why Is Tech Recruiting Important?
Tech recruiting is important for any business that relies on technology for its operations. Hiring the best tech talent means your business can stay ahead of the competition and capitalize on emerging trends in the industry - for example by leveraging AI or being on top of cyber security. Tech recruiting also helps ensure that you have the right people in place to help your business scale - for example by automating frequent processes or delivering amazing user experiences to your end customers.
Having the right tech talents on your team is crucial for your company because they can help to drive innovation, increase productivity and efficiency, and ultimately lead to a competitive advantage in the marketplace. We at Rockstar Recruiting want to support you in being successful in winning the right talents the Swiss IT job market.
Getting your Job Description Right
Before you start recruiting tech talent, you need to identify the skills and qualifications (that are really) required for each tech role. For example, does the candidate really need to speak German fluently? Many non-native speakers are available in the market, and you can get more applications if you are less restrictive on the language skills. For example, if you are allowing remote candidates or are accepting non-German speakers for your tech role, your job description will receive at least 250% more applicants than if you are requiring on-site presence and being fluent in German. In fact, writing job descriptions in tech in German is going to significantly limit your target audience, since most job descriptions are in English nowadays.
You should create a list of required key qualifications and skills for each role & formulate a comprehensive and aspiring job description. Your job description should be concise overall, but still give a detailed overview of activities and development methods (e.g. infrastructure, CI/CD, tools, datasets, etc.) that can be expected on the prospective job. You should also consider the type of technology they will be working with and whether they will need any specialized training. We at Rockstar Recruiting recommend using a language tool such as Witty Works to ensure that your job description is bias-free and aspiring to a diverse audience. This can maximise your job description's reach towards qualified experts - independent of their gender, race, age, sexual orientation and origin.
It is also important to consider the level of experience that is required for each role. Depending on the complexity of the role, you may need to look for candidates with more experience or those who are just starting out. Additionally, you should consider the type of environment the role will be in and the type of team the candidate will be working with. Via Rockstar Recruiting's Rockstar-as-a-service offering (RAAS), we are more than happy to support you in identifying the right qualifications for your tech role & designing the perfect job descriptions together with you.
Leveraging Social Media & Job Boards right
Most job seekers start their job hunt on job boards. In Switzerland, this can mean posting your position on Join.com, SwissDevJobs.ch, Jobs.ch, or on Linkedin via your main account. You can also use international job boards such as Indeed and Monster to post your job openings and attract tech talent. In tech, you can also use niche job boards such as Dice, Github and StackOverflow to reach more specialized candidates.
Social media is an also great way to reach potential tech candidates - even before they are actively looking for positions. In Switzerland, Linkedin, Twitter and Reddit are all relevant social media platforms for the tech community in Switzerland. You should consider publishing tech recruiting content & creating targeted ads there to widen your reach. For example, by allowing a promotion of your corporate account to advocate applicants to apply for your tech role.
When posting job openings on job boards, it’s important to include a detailed job description and list the qualifications and skills you’re looking for in a candidate. This will help you attract the right candidates and ensure that you’re only receiving applications from qualified individuals. Additionally, you should include a link to your company website and social media accounts so that potential candidates can learn more about your company and the job opportunity.
Via our Rockstar-as-a-service offering (RAAS), Rockstar Recruiting's experienced staff can support your tech recruiting team in identifying relevant approaches towards leveraging social media & job boards right for your tech recruiting ambitions.
Be an Active Part of the Local Tech Community
You should also consider attending tech events to meet potential candidates face-to-face. Being an active part of the local tech community is important for an employer in tech in Switzerland as it allows them to stay current with the latest technologies and trends, as well as connect with potential candidates and other industry leaders. It also helps to establish your company as a thought leader and employer of choice in the tech industry.
There are a variety of tech events and communities in Switzerland that are relevant for an employer in tech, including hackathons, tech meet-ups, and conferences. Some notable examples of tech events in Switzerland include HackZurich, the Swiss Innovation Forum, the Swiss Cyber Security Days, and the Swiss ICT Investor Club. We at Rockstar Recruiting have provided an overview of the best hackathons in Switzerland here. Additionally, there are a number of local tech meet-ups and user groups, such as WebZurich, the Reinforcement Learning Group, the Swiss Big Data User Group, the Swiss Internet of Things Meetup, and the Swiss AI Meetup. Joining and participating in these events and communities can be a great way for an employer in tech to stay connected to the Swiss tech industry and identify & connect with top talent. At Rockstar, we have co-founded the Swiss Tech Career Network via which we organise tech recruiting events that focus on important topics. For example, we recently hosted a meetup on important current trends in the Swiss IT job market with 150 attendees.
In fact, we at Rockstar Recruiting, are present at around 60 tech events each year. If you are interested in co-organizing a tech recruiting event with us, contact us.
Deliver a Recruiting Experience from Interview to Onboarding
Delivering a top-notch recruiting experience from interview to onboarding is crucial for companies looking to hire top tech talent. The recruiting process can often be a determining factor in whether a candidate chooses to accept a job offer or not. Candidates who have a positive experience throughout the recruiting process are more likely to accept an offer and be engaged and productive once they join the team. To deliver a great recruiting experience, companies should focus on best practices such as conducting thorough and thoughtful interviews, providing an enjoyable on-site trial day experience, and surprising candidates with positive touches throughout the process. This could be something as simple as a follow-up thank-you note or as elaborate as a personalized onboarding package. In Silicon Valley, a sign-on bonus is something that is often used as a one-time token of appreciation for joining a company. Such a sign-on bonus is still unusual in Switzerland, but can make a difference when multiple offers are at play for a tech talent.
Via our Rockstar-as-a-service offering (RAAS), Rockstar Recruiting's experienced staff can support your tech recruiting team in delivering tech recruiting experiences via leveraging best practices that we have seen across our over 100 years of combined tech recruiting experience.
State-of-the-Art Assessment Tools to Evaluate Candidates
Additionally, providing an easy and efficient process, using a user-friendly ATS, and avoiding delays in communication and decision-making can also play a key role in delivering a positive recruiting experience. Once you have identified potential candidates, you can use assessment tools to evaluate their abilities and skills. These tools help you determine whether a candidate is a good fit for the role by testing their knowledge in specific areas. This can help you determine which candidates are most qualified for the job and save time during the recruitment process. Assessment tools can also provide valuable insight into a candidate's personality and work style. This can help you determine if the candidate is a good fit for the team and the company culture.
Making the Most of Referrals
Referrals can also be a great way to find qualified tech talent because great tech talents are often friends with great tech talents. Ask your current employees or industry contacts if they know any qualified individuals who might be a good fit for the role. This can help you identify potential candidates faster and save time during the recruitment process.
When asking for referrals, be sure to provide as much information as possible about the role and the skills you are looking for. This will help your contacts provide more targeted referrals and ensure that the candidates they recommend are a good fit for the job. Additionally, you can offer incentives to employees who refer qualified candidates, such as a cash bonus or gift card.
Strategies for Retaining Top Tech Talent
Once you have found the right tech talent, it’s important to retain them. Offering competitive salaries and benefits packages is one way to retain top talent. You should also consider investing in professional development opportunities and offering flexible working arrangements. Finally, make sure you create an environment where your employees feel valued and appreciated.
In addition to the strategies mentioned above, it is important to provide your tech team with the latest tools and technologies. This will help them stay up to date with the latest industry trends and ensure that they are able to work efficiently. Additionally, providing your tech team with the opportunity to work on interesting projects and collaborate with other teams can help to keep them engaged and motivated.
The Benefits of Outsourcing Tech Recruiting
Finally, outsourcing tech recruiting to state-of-the-art recruiting agencies can be a great way to save time and resources. Outsourcing recruitment firms like us at Rockstar Recruiting have access to a larger pool of qualified & currently available candidates. In addition, we have access to specialized assessment tools that can help us identify the right talent quickly. They also have experience in recruiting tech talent, which can be beneficial if you don’t have an in-house recruitment team.
Determining if a tech recruiting agency is actually good can be a bit tricky, as there are many factors to consider. One of the best ways to gauge the quality of a recruiting agency is to look at their track record of placing top talent in similar roles to the one you are looking to fill. You should also check their references and ask for case studies of previous successful placements. It's also important to consider how the agency operates, if they use the latest recruitment techniques and if they have a clear understanding of the specific technology stack and industry you are working in. Finally, it's a good idea to meet with the agency in person to get a sense of their team's qualifications and experience, and to discuss your specific needs and goals.
We are here to help you hire tech talent
Tech recruiting is an essential part of any business that relies on technology. By following the strategies outlined above, you can find the right tech talent quickly and efficiently. By taking advantage of social media, job boards, referrals, and assessment tools, you can ensure that you have the right people in place to help your business reach its goals.
Let us know, how Rockstar Recruiting can help you on your tech recruiting mission(s)!
