At SkyWater Search Partners, we specialize in recruiting for multiple disciplines, each led by industry experts. including the fast-paced, constantly changing IT sector. Here’s our take on current trends affecting the IT sector and our advice to hiring managers seeking top talent in 2024:

Increased demand and tougher competition

The rise in social, mobile, and cloud technologies has driven up the demand for talent. These technologies depend heavily on specialized skills that are often difficult to find through traditional recruiting methods. While most IT sectors will continue to undergo constant, often rapid changes we expect the consulting, financial services, and retail industries to face stiff competition for talent. As more applications are cloud-hosted, we expect to see increasing demand for candidates capable of running that cloud operation, while protecting the operation and private data. To stay ahead of the game, these employers will need strong recruiting partners with access to multiple talent pipelines.

Director and VP roles are undergoing an evolution

After a brief period of consolidations, director and VP roles are enjoying something of a renaissance with the rise in demand for data, mobile, analytics, and digital jobs. In 2022 and 2023, we saw a huge increase in headcount and a wide variety of technical changes. Not surprisingly,  these teams now need to be managed differently than they once were.  As employers recognize the critical functions of these roles – and the increasing responsibility that accompanies them – we expect to see salaries rise accordingly in 2024.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) skills are in demand

ERP skills are much needed and in demand in the Twin Cities, Chicago metro, and throughout the country. Hiring managers trying to fill one of these positions in 2024 may find themselves competing with other roles perceived as more exciting or rewarding. An executive recruiter who understands these challenges can attract top candidates by selling the appeal of your work environment, the strengths of your company, and the promise of career growth opportunities.

Recruitment – and talent management – is more social

You don’t need us to tell you that social media has radically changed the recruiting process. Today, headhunters and hiring managers can quickly research sought-after talent to gain critical clues about their career goals, workplace preferences, and work styles. The key is knowing how to interpret this information, follow up with meaningful questions, and identify the best potential fits. Again, this is where an experienced recruiter can cut through the noise and cut your hiring time substantially.

What can employers do to respond to these trends and attract the talent they need? Here are three fundamental steps every company can take:

Review your job descriptions, emphasizing the must-haves

A job description flooded with too many “required skills” that aren’t necessarily required, and an endless wish list of “desired skills” won’t help you attract top talent. It will turn them away. Instead, prioritize the knowledge, skills, and programming languages from your wish list into three categories: absolute must-haves, nice-to-haves, and bonus qualifications.

Do you risk attracting some candidates who don’t fit the need? Maybe. But a realistic job description usually attracts better candidates and enables unqualified candidates to filter themselves out of the process before wasting their time or yours.

Cultivate your talent pool

As the talent competition intensifies, more employers have begun investing in the development of their talent pools. It takes time and a willingness to find, follow, and engage with top performers in your sector on LinkedIn and other relevant social media. And unlike a switch that you can turn on and off when you have a job vacancy, this is something that takes months of building and years of maintaining. But no matter how far you get with building these relationships, you’ll have a better understanding of what top candidates want, value most, and bring to the table.

Talk to a recruiter who specializes in your field

As an SME and a leader, you may not have the time, resources, or skills it takes to implement an effective hiring strategy. A recruiter who specializes in your field does. The right executive recruiting specialist has deep connections and everyday contact with the IT talent pools you need to access. At SkyWater, the types of positions we cover are wide-ranging, from CIOs and IT Managers to Software Developers and DevOps Engineers. For further information, check out the full range of IT positions available on our website.

Need help recruiting new IT talent? Connect with me on LinkedIn. I would love to learn more and tell you more about how we can help.