Is tech employment turning the corner? Many experts say so! Recent reports are showing slow but steady hiring in tech and trends tell us that tech leaders will be seeking new talent for the end of this year and into 2024. Are you planning to expand your tech workforce? What is the outlook across rising markets? The experts at Prosum weigh in on what to expect and how to market your employer brand to attract top talent.
Tech Hiring on Track to Recovery
In May 2023, Linux released their 2023 State of Tech Talent Report and the results were promising for tech professionals. While there is still caution during this last part of the year, news sources from the report noted “hiring trends indicate that a significant number of organizations (44%) are gearing up to expand their workforce this year.”
This is great news, and also in line with what other tech staffing and data experts share about the overall outlook. For instance, a global survey from Gartner this summer also noted that 81% of CIO respondents from large enterprises planned to increase IT headcount in 2023. The report noted some lingering challenges to overcome in terms of economic uncertainty, but the need to fulfill critical tech initiatives to improve business outcomes is too strong a factor to delay hiring.
In addition, CompTIA’s last monthly tech job report released in early September 2023 noted a slight increase in tech sector jobs, juxtaposed a slight decline in tech jobs across the overall economy. While the “fluctuations” as CompTIA leadership notes are “confusing,” we are still seeing increases in demand for particular tech areas that will continue to buoy tech employment. In fact, overall increases in job postings for IT security and cloud-related roles were reported, and markets like Denver, Phoenix, and San Diego saw positive changes in tech job openings in August.
Expand Your Tech Workforce With Emerging Skills and Experience Levels
As budget constraints ease and CIOs have more wiggle room to increase headcount, they noted key tech areas to achieve their digital transformations “with a particular focus on cloud / containers, cybersecurity, and AI / ML”. Tech professionals with skill sets that can be applied to these areas will be in demand. Wired19 also published a ranking of technology areas priorities based on the Linux findings, showing that DevOps and Networking Technologies each jumped up a point from last year’s rankings. This coincides with McKinsey’s latest review on the tech skills we need to zero in on for the digital age, which include cloud computing and management as well as advanced connectivity with examples like 5G, Satellite Internet, Blockchain-based connectivity, and High-Speed Data Transmission.
In addition to skills in demand, hiring organizations may be also be changing their background requirements. According to Linux, hiring managers may start leaning towards talent with certifications and proven work experience rather than formal education qualifications. This certainly expands the talent pipeline and increases the opportunity for transferrable skills to be applied to different tech disciplines.
Tips To Attract Top Talent To Expand Your Tech Workforce
If there is tech work to be done, you will need the manpower to do it, but it’s just as important to have the right talent from the onset. This includes carefully planning your hiring strategy for cost effectiveness and efficiency in order to avoid delays and productivity loss, and reduce budget-busting turnover. Here are five ways to expand your tech workforce with top talent:
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Sell your brand—your employer brand
Why would someone want to work for your company? Why do you work for your company? Your company culture is a critical selling point for potential talent. Be descriptive about what makes your organization a great place to work. According to our co-CEO Ken Aster “at Prosum, we cherish our annual Beach Day adventure as a unique event that embodies the spirit of our organization. Beach Day is when our team meets on the West Coast for training, strategy sessions, networking, and just time to be together, which is particularly relevant as remote work environments often keep colleagues at a distance.”
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Expand your geographical reach by offering flexible working arrangements
The debate continues for many organizations on the pros and cons of hybrid and remote work environments versus in-office, however, reports continue to show that tech talent prefers flexibility. This is an important point to consider when building your tech workforce. Plus, if budgetary concerns are looming, you may find cost savings by hiring within a location with more competitive bill rates and salary expectations.
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Use a flexible hiring strategy
Determine with a trusted IT staffing partner the best way to staff your team with direct hires, contract professionals, and project-based consultants to manage costs and fill gaps quickly.
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Focus on the skills you truly need and draft job roles and descriptions accordingly.
This means taking into account education requirements. As Luis Rhee, Senior Account Executive and Partner from Prosum’s Southern California region says,
“My advice to hiring managers would be to not focus so much on the years of experience a candidate brings but rather focus on the depth of their experience. Everyone wants the 10+ years person but often times, a candidate with 2-4 years of experience is more than capable of performing at
a high level.”
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Diversify your sources, especially to find talent from under-represented communities.
A diverse workforce is an innovative and productive workforce that adds to your bottom-line. Partnering with an IT staffing firm that meets all of the requirements of most supplier diversity programs.
Don’t Go It Alone: Plan Your Tech Workforce for the Future With Help From the Pros
As many organizations are analyzing year-end data and ramping up budgets for next year, now is the time to map out your hiring strategy to support your tech productivity. With many organizations already operating with a lean internal team, taking on the added workload of sourcing talent, recruiting, promoting jobs, interviewing and more might not be feasible, even though tech solutions are clear goals to keep your company competitive. Consider working with a team of experts that can take these actions off your plate and deliver the tech talent you need, faster. If you are planning to expand your tech workforce, make your first call to the Prosum experts.
