If you’re looking for a great information technology candidate, you’re probably already aware of the competition for top IT talent and skills. Finding a potential employee who is already trained in your company’s combination of software and hardware is difficult. If you’re responsible for hiring, you’re probably also aware of how long the process can be, and you may have noticed that the longer the hiring process stretches out for a candidate, the less likely you are to snag the one you want in the end. So, how do you increase your chances of landing great IT talent? Speed up your hiring process.
Here’s how:
Be clear about your schedule.
Between running background checks, testing for skill sets, and coordinating multiple calendars to schedule interviews, the hiring process can take time. If you take steps in the process but don’t check in with your candidate, they may get antsy, or worse, take an offer from a company who is more attentive. Every time you communicate with your candidate, communicate what you’re doing and how long it should take. Promise to be in touch once the task is accomplished, and make sure that you follow through when it is.
Make an offer as soon as possible.
Once you’ve made a decision about who to hire, extend an offer to them, preferably in person, as soon as possible. Because it’s so easy to see what an average salary is for a particular position in a particular area, it’s important to make sure that what you’re offering meets or exceeds the average. Keep in mind that a great IT candidate most likely knows their worth, and you may need to negotiate with them a bit to bring them on board.
Follow up with all your candidates.
Once you’ve secured your new employee, go back and follow up with all of the candidates you were seriously considering. Let them know that you’ve chosen to hire someone else, but offer to keep their resume on file if a position opens in the future. Treating candidates with respect ensures that you will have great people to hire when you most need them, whether it’s from a pile of saved resumes, or whether it’s someone who heard about your company’s hiring process through word of mouth.
Looking for more ways to lock down incredible IT talent? Working with Contemporary Staffing’s Technical Services division is one of the best ways to do that. Contact us today to learn more about our technical recruiting services.