If you’re in sales, it’s only natural to use sales speak when looking for the right candidate, and the same is true about IT talent. However, this is a much more difficult area for many recruiters and hiring managers, particularly if they do not specialize in IT and have no real idea of the lingo that is used.
It’s time for a crash course in Geek Speak!
The good news is, you’ll only have to do this once, and you won’t have to worry about learning a whole new language. All you’ll need is a little help from the Geek Code that was created by Robert Hayden back in 1993. It is a complex code that allows you to convey a tremendous amount of information in very little space.
For example: L++++ means that the person is a Linux guru, while L+ means that they’ve installed Linux, but haven’t really spent much time on it.
The same is true for Oracle (O++++) Perl (P++++) and even Windows (W++++). As a bonus of learning these simple strings, you’ll be able to find qualified candidates for your recruiting efforts by doing a Google search for these strings.
Ok, so what can you do with Geek Code? Ideally, as a recruiter, you’re going to want to use this in your email signature. This is a way to let your highly qualified candidates know that you do indeed speak their language and will help give you the edge over recruiters who are not savvy to using this technique.
You can start learning the basics here: http://www.gadgeteer.net/omnicode and even http://www.hackery.com. Both sites will let you search using specific strings, like the ones shown above, and you’ll learn about Geek Code as you go.
When you’re ready to create your own Geek Code, you can get a little help from some open source codes that are already in existence, like the “Sourcing Geek Code.” You can either use that as is, or build on it on your own.
Will this give your company the edge when it comes to hiring high level programmers? While it’s not a magic bullet, it is a wonderful way to bridge the recruiter/techie gap and start the conversation.
Have questions about implementing Geek Speak in your recruiting search or need help finding today’s best IT talent? Let the pros at Contemporary Staffing help you today!