2021 has started with a bang. Jobs are fast approaching pre-pandemic levels, client appetite for hiring is seemingly endless and Client Server is as busy as we have ever been.
The speed of hiring is ferocious and competition is high, so now is a great time to share some insight into what we’re seeing in the tech jobs market.
Do You Have Realistic Hiring Plans?
It’s hard to believe we are nearing the end of the second month in 2021 and fast approaching 12 months in lockdown too. But with the government announcement laying out an end to restrictions, there seems to be a little more positivity in the air.
So how do you deal with your recruitment this year? How do you give yourself a competitive advantage while maintaining your standards and not lowering your barrier to entry?
Here are a couple of early mistakes we are seeing that is drastically affecting a business’s ability to hire. None of these will be “Eureka!” moments for anyone (most have been issues for as long as businesses have been recruiting) but they are even more important than ever and there are also a few new ones cropping up.
3 Classic Hiring Mistakes
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Slow Process:
This is the age-old killer. It’s salesy, I know, but
“time kills all deals”.
Never has this been truer than now. Slow CV turnaround and long interview process inevitability end in disappointment, especially in this market. Fully remote processes can mean candidates are off the market faster than ever. We are seeing less than four days from CV sent to offer and acceptance, this includes a three-stage interview process! If your processes are pre-pandemic slow, you will miss out. End of story.
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Lack of Specific Feedback:
Still one of my biggest pet hates! How do you expect your recruitment partner to improve or find the right candidate when the feedback is either non-existent or as lazy as “technically not strong enough”? It’s simply not OK for companies to offer candidates little to no feedback when they have given up huge amounts of their time to an interview process? If the roles were reversed, you’d expect feedback, no?
- Assuming the Market is Full of Talent: One of my favourites at the moment - clients assuming the market is swamped with eligible candidates awash with all the latest technology skills and experience, just queueing up for jobs. It’s naïve at best and idiotic at worse to think that your ideal candidate is actively searching. Brutal as this is to say, there’s a reason why even ‘good’ companies go weeks and months without making a hire. Recruitment is about more than posting roles on job boards and waiting for CVs to fly in. Oftentimes we place candidates who haven’t visited a job board in years. Why wouldn’t you want to explore all avenues in a bid to find that right person?
And 3 New Mistakes for the Covid-19 Era
These three have become more common in the age of remote hiring.
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Poor interview structure:
Something we have seen more of in lockdown: companies not thinking through their interview process. Companies are making this difficult for themselves with convoluted interview structures and stages, many of which cover the same thing.
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Offering too soon:
I know this might sound strange coming from a recruiter, but you really can offer too fast. One interview over the phone where you talk tech and have a little banter is not enough to persuade the best talent to join you. The cost of a bad hire for a business is much more than a salary. Your processes should be rigorous but clear.
- Assuming remote = salary saving: The number of times I have heard clients tell me they don’t need to pay as much because the role is in X location or fully remote boggles the mind. My standard response to that is now: “Well obviously you’re not looking for the best people, are you?” It doesn’t matter where your role is, if you want the best people, then you need to pay them what they are worth. If you don’t, someone else will, 100%. Just remember: Spotify announced they will now pay their staff exactly the same as their peers in NY, San Francisco or London offices – little food for thought when you think you might save £5K because you are recruiting remotely
A 3 Step Process for Interviewing Tech Talent
Hiring tech talent shouldn’t be complicated. There are ways to be thorough and efficient when interviewing. Here’s our full-proof interview process that will keep things simple and clear:
- Introduction to the company and candidate : Makes sure both parties want to progress and covers things like team fit.
- Technical competence and ability : Technical questioning, test or programming exercise, followed by a discussion to confirm/allay any concerns.
- Cultural and personality fit : Usually done by HR but essentially a call to check everything is a compatible fit and to confirm salary expectations.
Hiring the best tech talent doesn't need to be hard. Client Server is uniquely placed to be able to assist with all hiring requirements. Let's start the conversation - call us now on 0207 090 2500 .