Nearly 8 in 10 technology professionals search for their next opportunity on online job boards, according to latest industry research, Solving the UK Skills Shortage – Technology.
In research from over 550 technology professionals, candidates were surveyed on the recruitment channels they adopt to look for technology positions. The survey results highlight the channels receiving little investment from employers and key ways employers can diversify their recruitment strategies to obtain top-tier technology talent.
Ben Litvinoff, Associate Director at Robert Walters comments, “A diverse and comprehensive attraction strategy is key to reach both active and passive technology candidates. Employers engaging with candidates on multiple platforms and distinguishing their employment offers are more likely to source the top industry talent.”
Below are the five top channels technology professionals use to look for their next career opportunity, with insights into how Technology hiring managers are utilising these channels within their recruitment strategies.
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Discrepancies between employer and candidate behaviour occur with searching for roles on online job boards, with an overwhelming majority of professionals (79%) searching for roles on online job boards, whereas only 28% of employers directly advertise technology jobs on this platform.
A diverse and comprehensive attraction strategy is key to reach both active and passive technology candidates.
Placing adverts on both national and technology-specific job boards could see a tenfold increase in applications for your latest positions, with most skilled technology professionals actively searching for their next opportunity on these websites. Receiving multiple applications from job boards also allows you to build your reputation as a technology employer, as well as cultivate a talent pool for future positions you hire for.
Engaging with a recruitment consultant allows you to both expand and refine your talent pool, as well as to receive market intelligence to improve your talent search.
71% of technology professionals liaise with a recruitment agency when making a career transition, while 53% of employers currently engage with agencies. The research suggests more businesses in the technology sector could benefit from the strong connections recruitment consultants maintain strong with skilled technology professionals. Tapping into recruitment agencies talent networks allows you to engage with passive candidates who are largely the best quality talent in the market.
Although an increasing number of businesses in the sector advertise their roles through LinkedIn (38%), nearly 70% of candidates search for technology positions on the networking tool.
The research reveals that LinkedIn is an important tool for businesses to widen their talent pools with a large majority of industry professionals active on this social platform. Active candidates use the professional networking tool to search for opportunities, whereas passive candidates encounter new opportunities through their current connections. With a third of businesses beginning to headhunt technology professionals, expertise in mapping out and identifying suitable professionals on LinkedIn can facilitate talent sourcing as well as differentiating your strategy from the competition.
Contractors are often a preferred choice for tech employers due to their specialist knowledge. This group of professionals are industry experts, having acquired skills and knowledge from working on multiple projects.
There is alignment between the number of employers and professionals adopting this platform. Nearly two-thirds (63%) of businesses in the industry currently employ temporary or contract workers, while 54% of professionals would consider working in temporary or contract roles permanently, reflecting that contractors are a growing pool of skilled candidates.
More than half (53%) of professionals are looking for roles in other industries where they can utilise their transferrable skills. While a number of professionals look further afield to acquire new skills and cross-sectoral experience, the results also indicate that a number of technology candidates are dissatisfied by the current employment offers within the technology sector, with factors such as salary, the length of the recruitment process and work-life balance encouraging professionals to look to other fields to progress professionally.
ABOUT THE RESEARCH
Robert Walters, totaljobs and Jobsite surveyed over 550 technology professionals across the UK to gain insight into key skill shortage trends, the potential impact of Brexit in a global market, changing candidate expectations and the recommended recruitment strategies to combat the skills gap.
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