There are countless articles regarding the perceived problem on the shortage of IT talent, not just regionally but globally.
According to a recent study by Randstad, companies in Hong Kong are experiencing a widening technology talent gap in light of companies embarking on the journey to digitization. It was also revealed in Hong Kong’s 2016 First Quarter Economic Report that information and communications technology vacancies have risen by 18.3%, indicative of the growing demand for tech talent in Hong Kong.
The IT department is crucial to the smooth operation of most organizations. That said, companies must be focused on hiring top talent to manage technology on an ongoing basis. There will always be challenges in finding the right fit for a particular job, especially one that requires specific skillsets. A forecast by Computerworld last year highlighted some of the most IT skills in demand, which included IT architecture, programming and application development, big data, business intelligence and web development.
"Before beginning a search for potential hires, it is vital to have a plan in place for finding, interviewing, hiring and retaining the best IT candidates. Companies must also avoid making common hiring mistakes that will risk losing valuable time and talent prospect," said Benny Lee, Regional Director, North Asia, CenturyLink.
“CenturyLink has witnessed how the technology industry has evolved. One thing remains the same for a legacy company like us – people are still our top priority and the key pillar of the business."
Here are four strategies that companies can use to attract and retain IT professionals include:
1 You (along with your colleagues) are your company's best brand ambassador
It is important to consider and identify existing employees who best represent the type of talent you want to attract. It is useful to know what they enjoy most about working for the company, such as employment perks, opportunities, benefits, internal growth and more, and to use this information to showcase the company's recruitment programme.
Employee referrals are another way to source for ideal talents, especially for technical positions such as engineers, technicians or IT architects. Tapping into your employees' existing networks allow the company to extend the reach of their hiring efforts. Not only that, it also acts as an effective filter, to find candidates that work well with existing talents at the organization.
2 Make the recruitment experience a memorable one
A lot of companies are looking for IT talents, opening up a myriad of options for the IT professionals. Thus, it is important to provide a positive hiring process, starting from the first interview.
Interviews hold the best opportunity to impress the candidate and showcase the benefits of working for an organization. The technological capabilities and the advancements within the company can also be called out, offering IT talents a position in an organization where their skills and expertise will be valued. In short, establishing a reputable and innovative company image is important.
3 Create a learning culture with approachable role models
Progressive organizations understand that the only sustainable business model is to ensure that they have the right talent, at the right place, at the right time. A good organization also delivers what was promised to talents during the hiring process.
By providing career growth opportunities and role models, it gives the talents confirmation and assurance that the company is looking after their personal growth.
4 Instilling the "speed of trust" to bridge the talent gap
The "speed of trust" essentially allows each employee to be a part of a trusted environment, which paves the way for making faster and more informed decisions. By investing in resources to develop the talent pool - such as building a robust system to track progress, providing timely employee reviews, and offering performance recognition - a company will be better positioned to strengthen its workforce. This in turn will keep employees motivated and inspired to work.
To continue retaining talents, businesses must work on satisfying their demands, while supporting their ambitions and professional development. Fostering a culture of transparency and trust could benefit the company in the long run as you nurture talents into the company's own brand ambassadors.
The opportunity is there for organizations to change the tone of the conversation regarding IT talents. As Hong Kong strives to be at the forefront of technology with various government initiatives set up to drive development, the talent crunch will certainly be felt. It is, in fact, the perfect time to re-evaluate the talent agenda now.