A survey conducted by Randstad Technologies determined that almost 90% of professionals in the tech and IT industries indicated that they would use a recruitment agency when looking for a job.
This may surprise anyone who is familiar with the hot IT job market. Unfilled tech jobs are quickly piling up, as the number of open jobs outweighs the skilled professionals available to fill them. So why aren’t IT professionals able to easily access a wealth of exciting job opportunities? It starts with how employers approach filling these jobs. Many companies are becoming frustrated with their inability to fill these crucial tech jobs by relying solely on their internal HR team and resources. They’re turning to recruiters to fill their high priority tech jobs. The result: job seekers must follow suit.
the role of digital media
Though online resources like job boards and social media networks (in particular, LinkedIn) are widely used by both job seekers and employers, they require a significant investment from employers to be an effective recruiting tool. Sourcing and screening candidates is a consuming process that can be a huge time (and money) waster for companies, particularly those with compact HR teams. Understanding the precise technical skill set and qualifications required for each tech job also presents a challenge for HR personnel not trained as IT recruiters.
As a result, many employers are choosing to skip posting jobs online, and seeking out the services of recruiters instead. External recruiters have the focus, tools, and skills to perform these often laborious tasks and provide relief to internal recruiting teams. As such, recruitment firms are often the gatekeepers of many of the best technology jobs available on the market. They’re the hub where skilled IT professionals can turn to find a veritable platter of exciting job opportunities.
moving at the speed of innovation
More so than any other field, the IT industry is strongly influenced by the pace of technological change. The creation of new specialties in areas such as DevOps, Big Data, cloud computing, mobility, Internet of Things (IoT) and other emerging fields has made it difficult for companies’ internal HR teams to keep up. Employers find it simpler to turn to a recruiting firm that already understands the precise technical qualifications needed for success. IT recruiters who specialize in filling jobs in the technology industry already have a deep understanding of the required skills and certifications. They also have prior relationships with candidates and an overarching view of trends in the labour market.
a partnership that benefits everyone
Job seekers in the IT field are increasingly aware that turning to a recruiting firm for their job hunt leads to a symbiotic partnership that benefits both parties. Job seekers are able to leverage the considerable capabilities of a large recruiting firm to access networks and opportunities they couldn’t find on their own. They can also take advantage of additional services, such as interview prep, resume writing, and career coaching when they work with a recruiting firm. Recruiting agencies, on the other hand, benefit by honing their technology specialty and building a direct pipeline to emerging talent in the hottest IT fields.
Somewhat ironically, the intense demand for IT talent has actually complicated the way that job seekers must seek out new opportunities. Assessing their fit with a particular company and choosing a role that best suits their career goals and personal aspirations now requires a skill set that most job seekers are unfamiliar with. So it should come as no surprise that IT professionals are indicating they prefer to work with an IT recruiter when it comes time to find their next role. They recognize the gap in their knowledge and seek out qualified IT recruiters who have the skills and knowledge to help them find a job that best suits their own strengths and skills.