4 Tips to Hire and Retain Tech Talent for your Startup
Elizabeth Mackenzie, 15 May 2022. The market in this century has more complex challenges for new businesses. All companies succeed thanks to the support of workers, the quality of services, and administrative management. If you run a tech startup, you need to understand the needs in this digital age and how to build an efficient tech team.
Currently, the demand for tech workers is one of the highest in history. A Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report projects a 13 percent growth for tech-related jobs between 2020 and 2030. The increase in these professionals benefits all companies, including startups.
Step-By-Step Guide to Find Top Tech Talent
Despite the increase in the labor market, hiring conditions may be more complex than you think. For that reason, we want to help you find the best candidates for your startup. In the lines below, we'll show you four steps to hiring and retaining top tech talent in 2022.
Become a Bootcamp Hiring Partner
How can you ensure the recruitment of high-quality employees? Take a look at the best coding bootcamps.
These schools offer tech courses with in-demand resources. Students learn about cyber security, data science, UI/UX design, web development, and other careers through short hands-on programs. The goal of many students is to get an opportunity in the tech industry after graduation. For that reason, schools like General Assembly or Flatiron School create Hiring Partnership options to meet the best candidates and create new job contracts. These alternatives are a win-win, grads get jobs, and your company recruits young tech talent for any project.
Offer Flexible Terms
Mass resignations in the US and globally have many strong arguments. The Great Resignation movement is a trend in the labor market that has affected thousands of companies. Lack of flexibility and strict schedules are reasons people leave their jobs. If you run a startup, pay attention to the tips below to offer the best working conditions to your candidates.
Hybrid Schedules: Digitization is a positive strategy for everyone. Optimize and contract remote work services, so employees can complete activities from home, reducing stress levels.
Be Sensitive: If you want to keep your employees, you must understand that everyone has responsibilities beyond the company. You can offer flexible childcare plans, mental health programs, comfortable dress policies, and inclusion.
Respect Free Time: Limit the activities of workers exclusively within the company. Avoid meetings and calls outside of business hours or during breaks or lunchtimes.
Technical Skills Are the Goal
Many companies hire employees based on college education rather than experience and projects completed. Although a degree references a person's knowledge, it cannot be the requirement to hire tech talent. A startup needs technical and practical power to solve problems, promote action plans, and improve productivity.
The tech industry is competitive and requires critical thinking for innovative projects. Technical skills are essential. Recruitment exams are a smart strategy for evaluating the technical performance of candidates. In the table below, you’ll see some of the skills in demand according to the tech position.
Be Trustworthy
Getting a job that doesn’t meet the real expectations of your proposal is a big disappointment. Workers don't want phoney offers, especially when they know that tech skills are in high demand in the marketplace. If you're going to have a loyal and committed team for your project, you must be honest from the beginning.
Points that you must specify during the job interview.
Salaries and Bonuses: If your startup still doesn’t have a stable profit margin, don’t promise wages that you can’t afford. Be honest about salaries and bonuses and make a deal based on convincing numbers.
Contract Duration: Many workers expect long-term projects to guarantee stable earnings in their lives. If your business only needs staff for short projects, be clear with your candidates. Tell them the estimated time of the contract and offer an extension only if it is necessary.
Hours and Work Schedules: Some people are willing to take on full-time occupations. However, you can’t force workers to accept schedules beyond their availability.
Conclusion
Teamwork and responsibility are two crucial elements in a startup. Although the statistics are negative for employers, the workforce is still looking for new opportunities in the tech industry. Become a smart leader and follow our tips above to recruit the best tech talent in the market and grow your business.
Related: Talent Management for Startups