“The Hidden Struggle”: Why Good Tech Talent Remains Elusive and the Value of Specialist Agencies in Hiring

In today's digital age, the demand for skilled tech talent has skyrocketed. Companies across industries are in constant competition to secure the best Software devs, Cloud Specialists and data scientists. However, finding and attracting the pointy end of tech talent is an ongoing struggle for many organisations. 
 
The Challenges of Attracting Tech Talent: 
 
Fierce Competition: The scarcity of highly skilled tech professionals has created a fiercely competitive job market. Companies, from startups to the tech giants, are all fighting for the same limited pool of talent. This intense competition makes it difficult for organisations to stand out and attract and keep the best people. 
 
Evolving Skill Requirements: The rapid pace of tech and the advancements in all verticals means that the skill requirements for tech roles are constantly evolving. Companies often struggle to identify the specific skills and expertise they need, leading to confusion and mismatches during the hiring process. This makes it challenging for organisations to keep up with the latest trends and find candidates who possess the right skills for their specific needs. Or there is a genuine disconnect between non tech stakeholders, but unwilling to spend money where its needed and drive a change within the businesses digital journey.
 
Passive Job Seekers: Many talented tech folk are not actively seeking new job opportunities. They may already be employed or engaged in side projects that keep them busy. Identifying and reaching out to these passive job seekers requires a proactive and strategic approach that goes beyond traditional job postings. Having a specialist agency, they spend a huge proportion of their day on social media, or on the phone chatting to candidates identifying what it would take for them to change roles, then matching these to companies, or driving new jobs with companies that may not have released a role online.
 
The Value of Specialist Agencies With Extensive Networks and Industry Knowledge: Specialist agencies focus on speaking to 1000’s and 1000’s of technologists every day, they have extensive networks and deep industry knowledge. They are well-connected within the tech community and can tap into their relationships to identify candidates who may not be actively looking for new opportunities. These agencies understand the specific skills and experience required for various tech roles and can effectively match candidates with companies based on peoples needs.
 
Access to Niche Communities: Tech specialist agencies have access to niche platforms and communities where tech professionals gather, and showcase their work and experience that managers or hiring teams won’t actively attend or use. These platforms are often overlooked by traditional internal recruitment teams. By leveraging these resources, specialist agencies can uncover hidden gems and engage with tech talent who may not be easily reachable through other channels. 
 
Streamlined Screening and Evaluation Processes: Identifying the best candidates from a pool of applicants can be a time-consuming and resource-intensive task. In the 2023 market, the job market is current is far less than its been between 2021, and 2022 with more people available. However 89% on average of applicants are irrelevant, not local or don’t have the required level of expertise to go through. With a 200-300% increase in applications, the time spent simply sifting through applications is a time poor exercise for a hiring manager or internal talent team. Specialist agencies streamline the screening process for companies, and present only the best options suitable for companies, or they will already know 3-5 suitable options they can talk about on a job qualification call. 
 

Employer Branding and Market Insights: Specialist agencies can also provide valuable guidance on employer branding and market insights. They have a deep understanding of the current job market within there specialism, salary or daily rate trends, and a companies reputation. This knowledge enables companies to position themselves attractively, offering competitive monetary packages and highlighting their unique selling points to attract top tech talent. 
 
To Wrap This Up: In the competitive landscape for tech talent, businesses often face significant challenges in attracting the best people. The expertise and extensive networks of tech specialist agencies can help companies overcome these hurdles. Collaborating with such agencies can provide companies with a competitive edge, enabling them to secure the best tech professionals and drive innovation in their respective industries, freeing up time to do what they do best!