Tech Talent Trends: Staffing Strategies for the Digital Age

New technology develops constantly, and the speed of that development continues to accelerate with each passing year. Some of the recent major developments in the technology sector include AI, machine learning, cloud computing, and blockchain technology.

Look at computer programming languages, there are thousands of them in existence and this popular development blog had trouble just narrowing it down to the top 100. The almost infinite nature of programming alone makes it next to impossible to find talent with the skills you need at a given time.

The speed of change within the technology sector can also make it difficult to hire for highly specific needs which include both tech and soft skills like adaptability and emotional intelligence. It’s a challenge for the talent, which has to constantly learn new skills that may or may not be in demand, and for employers who need to navigate the constantly changing talent landscape. 

Emerging Tech Talent Trends

Besides the rapid pace of new development in technology, the industry itself has gone through many changes in just a few short years. Change is a constant in the industry, and only seems to be accelerating with each passing year. 

Here are some of the changes happening now:

• COVID-19 ushered in a rapid transition to remote work that has in many cases become a permanent part of the tech hiring landscape. Companies benefit from an expanded talent pool that can tap talent from around the world. However, this can present its own challenges in how to find this global talent and make the best use of company resources in hiring.
• The rise of the gig economy has led to more project-based hiring that relies on specific skill sets and experience. It’s satisfying to find the perfect person for a specific project, but what happens to quality staff when the project ends?
• Trends toward more diverse and inclusive hiring have broadened the talent pool while adding layers of complexity to the hiring process. 

These changes have made tech staffing strategies a must for companies who need tech talent in their workforce. 

Identifying Key Skills for the Future

Some key skills for the future of the technology sector include AI, cybersecurity, cloud computing, and data analytics. Many of the skills needed for these roles are already available in colleges and training programs today, giving students the opportunity to learn skills that will serve them well when they finish their training.

The skills mentioned above are somewhat advanced, but experienced tech sector employees can learn them easily if given the opportunity. One way to source talent with these skills is to form relationships with the training programs that offer these skills and select students for internships with your company. Working with college job fairs and career centers is another way to find new talent before students go on the job hunt.

Leveraging Technology in Recruitment

Technology can now streamline the process of recruiting tech talent in several ways. AI can help with candidate matching, and virtual interviews mean your company won’t need to fly in promising international recruits to see whether they would be a good fit for your company. 

Automation can streamline candidate communication and ensure that no steps of the process are skipped or forgotten. The process of putting these technologies in place are time-consuming at first. While some candidates may miss the personal touch, the advantage is not only time and money savings, but also a consistency in the process. This is something difficult to achieve without technology. 

Building a Flexible and Adaptable Workforce

Flexibility and adaptability are some of the most important soft skills for tech workers today. In the technology sector problems can crop up suddenly and require changes to tasks, timelines, and even work hours in order to solve these problems and keep systems running smoothly. 

These and other soft skills can be tested and screened during the interview process. Plus they can be encouraged through company culture and ongoing training to develop the skills further. Another way to determine flexibility and adaptability during the interview process is to look for candidates with diverse skill sets or those who have transitioned to diverse roles during their careers. 

Fostering Continuous Learning and Development

The speed of the technology sector’s evolution makes continuous learning and development essential for technology staff. Companies that invest in professional development will have workers with more relevant skills; giving them an advantage over the companies that don’t. 

Companies with a culture of learning will foster that among their employees. Dedicated professional development programs with paid or paid-for training will keep skills current and attract talent with the drive to continuously better themselves to your team. As an IT staffing strategy, continuous learning is effective in more ways than one.

Conclusion

Effective staffing strategies in the digital age focus on using new technologies to source talent along with finding talent as it is fully developed by forming relationships with colleges and training schools. In addition, staffing agencies like GDH offer help to implement these strategies as well as using their own talent pools to source talent. 

It’s important to stay ahead in the tech talent race to position your company for success in its projects and endeavors. Using all possible avenues to capitalize on staffing trends in IT will offer the best results and provide the needed talent. 

At GDH we deliver workforce solutions made easy, bringing the best talent straight to you. Make our award-winning recruitment and talent delivery team an extension of yours.