In today's technology-dependent business world, engineers are in high demand. According to Glassdoor's research, almost 5,000 companies in the U.S. are looking to hire software engineers right now. And that doesn't count the many open positions for data analyst, product manager, electrical engineer, mechanical engineer and so on. Clearly, the current hiring market is tilted in favor of the candidate.
In order to attract and recruit top engineering talent, then, you'll need to develop a new approach-one that is less direct, but instead takes advantage of modern communication channels to reach candidates in a way that feels organic and welcome.
Who Are They?
First, let's take a moment to examine who these job seekers are. The top ten job titles clicked on by engineering professionals visiting Glassdoor in July 2016 are:
- Software Engineer
- Data Analyst
- Data Scientist
- Product Manager
- Software Developer
- Mechanical Engineer
- Senior Software Engineer
- Electrical Engineer
- Data Entry Clerk
- Web Developer
Unsurprisingly, this list is heavily weighted toward software and web development, and data entry and analysis. If you are looking to fill any of these roles, then congratulations! The talent you're looking for is out there-but are they looking for you?
Your challenge is to generate interest in your company and its open positions in a way that opens up a dialog, instead of driving candidates away-a daunting task, certainly, but not an impossible one.
Ditch the LinkedIn InMails
Engineers typically employ a variety of relatively new channels to connect with their peers, so why are you still sending LinkedIn InMails? As one software developer said, ""I canceled my LinkedIn account because I was getting bombarded by recruiters. Now they have to find me through my blog, GitHub or StackOverflow accounts. Those recruiters that reach me now are more worth my time."
Demonstrate to engineers that you recognize their skills and what motivates them by joining them where they meet. Take the time to engage on StackOverflow, Quora or GitHub; host a tech-oriented Meetup; sponsor a hackathon or similar project. Show them you are invested in helping them succeed at your company and you are more likely to be seen as an ally than an annoyance.
You can also utilize the power of social media by enlisting the engineers currently working for you. 76% say that they trust the opinions of friends when seeking out information so don't be shy about asking them for referrals and to reach out to peers in their networks.
What Do Engineers Want From a Company?
From Glassdoor.com site traffic in July 2016, we see that the top ten companies searched by engineering job seekers were:
- Amazon.com
- IBM
- Lockheed Martin
- Oracle
- Apple
- Microsoft
- Ampcus
- Raytheon
Almost every one of these companies has a well-earned reputation for developing innovative, disruptive products. Clearly, the opportunity to work with such an enterprise is an attractive proposition for most engineers. Indeed, 51% say they would accept less money to work at a company with an attractive product or service.
As another engineer told us, ""If your company isn't attractive on its own because of its technology and engineering culture, I probably won't be interested in working there. Hearing about your company from a recruiter-rather than because of something amazing you've built-simply cements that disinterest."
Rather than hitting candidates with your best hard-sell sales pitch, consider letting your company's reputation speak for itself by actively building your Glassdoor employer profile. Your job as a recruiter is made considerably easier if your company's reputation precedes you and candidates are already familiar with your business, its pros and cons.
So, How Can You Attract Top Engineering Talent?
71% of engineers learn about new job opportunities through online sites like Glassdoor. Building and maintaining a robust employer profile is the most effective way of shining a light on your company and generating greater interest from potential candidates, and when you're ready to post your job, here's an effective software engineer job description.
Once you have job seekers' attention, set yourself up for success when recruiting engineers by posting your open jobs.
