Despite some challenging recent years, the technology sector still demonstrates growth. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects faster-than-average growth for computer and IT occupations from 2023-2033, with an expected 356,700 job openings annually.
IT professionals play a crucial role in today's tech-driven business landscape. In the U.S., nearly 79% of laid-off tech workers found new jobs within three months, highlighting the need for qualified workers in the IT sector.
This article is a comprehensive guide on how to hire IT professionals, including key components of the hiring process, the competitive nature of IT recruitment and current challenges in the tech job market.
Why Hire an IT Person
IT is a dynamic and critical field with many IT specialists, including programmers, web developers, security specialists, network engineers, computer systems analysts and technical support agents. Companies hire IT people to:
- Maintain efficient operations to help achieve business objectives
- Provide critical support for computer systems, networks and technology infrastructure
- Help implement new technologies and improve productivity
- Enhance cybersecurity
- Ensure regulatory compliance
- Solve technical issues quickly and support business growth
- Stay up to date with current technologies
- Communicate effectively to relay important information
Cost of Hiring an IT Person
The tech industry is facing a shortage of IT talent, creating significant competition for skilled IT professionals. A recent report from Statista shows that nearly 54% of leaders have experienced a lack of IT talent. This shortage is expected to last, so businesses must implement best practices for hiring IT staff and find ways to address this gap while staying within budget.
The average salary for IT professionals is around $65,000. Experienced IT workers may command salaries well above $100,000. The top average IT salaries in 2024 include:
- Cloud Solutions Architect - $157,978
- Blockchain Software Engineer - $107,000-$168,000
- Cloud Security Engineer - $122,153
- Cloud Engineer - $131,578
- Machine Learning Engineer - $161,766
- Data Scientist - $128,429
- Information Security Analyst - $107,427
How to Find an IT Person
Here are some sources that employers can use to find the right IT person:
- Job boards and online platforms
- Social media
- Employee referral programs
- Recruitment agencies
- Tech events and job fairs
- Online tech communities
Approximately 60% of job applications come from online job boards. Social media is another valuable resource, with nearly 92% of employers utilizing social media for recruitment, and 56% of recruiters say they find the best candidates through this avenue. In addition, 71% of hiring managers consider social media profiles effective for screening applicants.
How to Hire an IT Person
Hiring managers need to get the hiring process right to avoid losing top IT talent and incurring unnecessary costs. Hiring a qualified and skillful IT person is crucial to properly implement tech strategies, cybersecurity and other system and regulatory requirements. Some key steps to hire IT people include:
- Defining the role and requirements
- Creating a compelling job description
- Advertising the position
- Screening applicants
- Conducting technical assessments
- Interviewing candidates
- Checking references and conducting background checks
The IT hiring process must include a comprehensive evaluation of technical skills. Technical assessments are the third most important criterion (39%) for hiring developers. In addition, ensuring proper communication with applicants is also important for businesses. Over 85% of candidates view receiving an application confirmation email as essential.
Tips to Hire an IT Person
Some practical tips for hiring IT professionals include:
- Focusing on technical skills and cultural fit
- Using pre-employment testing to assess technical abilities
- Offering competitive compensation packages
- Highlighting opportunities for professional development
- Being open to remote work options
- Streamlining the hiring process
- Involving team members in the interview process
- Staying up to date with industry trends and in-demand skills
Employers must be able to present a company culture that job seekers find attractive. Remote work is also a major trend in the tech sector. As of 2023, 12.7% of the workforce works remotely full time, and many workers want to work remotely at least some of the time. Finally, IT people want to work for companies that offer growth. Nearly 94% of employees say they would stay longer at a company investing in career development.
Job Requirements and Skills for an IT Person
Since IT people play a major role in today's business environment, it's important to specify essential job requirements, such as:
- Bachelor's degree in computer science, information technology or a related field
- Proficiency in programming languages, such as Java, Python, C++ or JavaScript
- Knowledge of database management systems (e.g., SQL, Oracle, MongoDB)
- Knowledge of cybersecurity principles and best practices
- Familiarity with cloud computing platforms (e.g., AWS, Azure, Google Cloud)
- Portfolio of projects or contributions to open-source software (for developer roles)
- Experience with project management methodologies (e.g., Agile, Scrum)
- Required certifications
Soft skills are responsible for up to 85% of on-the-job success. Therefore, it's important to assess soft skills including problem-solving and critical thinking abilities, communication skills, teamwork, willingness to learn new technologies, time management and organizational skills and customer service orientation for roles involving user support.
Create a Job Description
Compelling job descriptions can increase applicant quality by up to 50%. An effective job description for hiring IT people should include:
- Job title
- Company overview
- Job summary
- Key responsibilities
- Required qualifications
- Preferred qualifications
- Required soft skills
- Company benefits
- Work environment
- Application instructions
Create a Hiring Funnel
An effective hiring funnel can attract top candidates and enable hiring managers to evaluate and hire talented employees. Some key steps in creating a hiring funnel include:
- Candidate sourcing
- Initial screening
- Technical assessment
- In-depth interviews
- Reference and background checks
- Job offer
- Onboarding
Interviewing IT Candidates
The interview is the most important tool in the hiring process. Hiring managers should consider using the STAR (situation, task, action, result) approach for behavioral questions. In addition, using a structured interview process with predefined questions can help reduce bias. For IT people, technical skills are key; therefore, the interview process should include technical and coding assessments. When hiring remote candidates, it is imperative to conduct video interviews. Nearly 60% of hiring managers prefer to do remote interviews by video.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most in-demand IT skills and certifications for 2024?
The most in-demand IT certifications include AWS Certified Solutions Architect, Certified Information Systems Auditor, Certified Information Security Manager, CompTIA certifications (A+, Network+, Security+) and Certified Information Systems Security Professional.
What are the most effective strategies for attracting top IT talent?
Most effective strategies include building a strong employer brand, emphasizing diversity and inclusivity, encouraging workplace creativity, offering flexibility for employees, competitive compensation and providing growth opportunities.
For help and support with hiring the most qualified IT people, please contact our team today.
