The tech talent war is global. Even the largest tech companies are affected by this. In fact, Airbnb has just recently announced that their shift to remote work was really about competing for talent. In today’s global tech talent crunch, taking too long to recruit the best and smartest talent could be your downfall. Hiring the best person for the job should always be the objective but when candidates are in a position of choice, losing that talent is a real risk costing both time and money.

All decisions take time, even when hiring. However, rushing to secure a candidate is not recommended because getting the wrong person for the position is never good for either party. However, a lengthy recruitment process is not recommended either.

If you are finding that you are losing potential candidates during the recruitment process it might be time to review your recruitment process. Do you know on average how long your recruitment process takes and is this a desirable length of time for everyone concerned? Where does the process get bogged down, do you have an agreed time frame between first, second, and third contact? Is the entire recruitment process a meaningful one for both you and the prospective candidate?

Balancing time with the best outcome

In many industries of today’s employment market, especially tech, candidates are in high demand and have taken over some of the controls. They will no longer wait around for you to call back.

Putting a time frame on the recruitment process is difficult as it will vary depending on many factors related to the complexity of the position however delays because the process is bogged down should be addressed. It is also a good idea to start checking recruitment length internally to see if the process is getting longer over time so you can address where the bottlenecks are occurring.

Your internal processes should be reviewed (a good habit even if you think things are working fine). You might actually find that for particular skill sets, such as IT and tech, looking at a specialist recruitment agency is a better and more efficient solution.

So how do you balance ‘getting the right person for the job’ with ‘making a quick decision’? You may genuinely need more time in the process for a range of reasons (excluding getting bogged down) and if that is the case the important thing is to ensure your candidates know what to expect. They should be aware from the very beginning of what your recruitment process entails, and at every stage know what the next steps are, and when you will get back to them.

Delay is just one of the mistakes to avoid when recruiting for smart talent, trust us, there are many more, a further eight you can read about here

Delay at your peril

Yes, there are costs of not getting the right candidate the first time but there are also real costs of having a too lengthy recruitment process.

• Your best candidates are not waiting by their mobile for you to call them back, they are actively seeking other positions and will take what they see as the best offer at the time.

• A lengthy recruitment process costs the business because HR and management are held up in interviews, and follow-ups and this hidden cost can add up.

• Taking too long doesn’t necessarily mean you finally got the best talent, it could actually mean the opposite

• Holes in the company waiting to be filled add stress to other team members and reduce overall productivity

• Your clients/customers don’t care that you are waiting to fill a key position, they want to know that their needs are being addressed.

• Words spread quickly if candidates are not kept in the loop, staff are stressed out filling other people’s roles, and your customers are not getting the support they were promised.

• The result is a tarnish on your brand.

Although you might be frustrated that it is becoming more difficult to fill, there is good news that has come about as a consequence of COVID and the resulting changes to the way we all work, and a greater openness to having a remote workforce.

Overcoming the global talent war with a global solution

Today, your future tech talent can come from anywhere in the world, the globe is your talent pool. Having a wider net is fantastic especially when the market is shrinking in your neck of the woods. And now that most of us have experienced working remotely, and are set up for such, a remote talent pool is more acceptable than ever.

With Sharesource’s expertise in building remote tech teams, businesses can have broader access to the IT, tech, and STEM global talent pool using an efficient recruitment process. We know the importance of making the process work for everyone, and providing clear timelines. Once Sharesource finds the best person for the position, we provide ongoing support and coaching to ensure that no matter where in the world the remote team member is located, they can continue to work at their best.

What is Reboarding?

Returning to the office comes with social and emotional concerns for employees. Your Reboarding strategy plays a critical role in ensuring that your employees' return to work is a positive outcome for them and your business.