Blockers to recruiting talent in tech in 2022

Technology has now become one of the most important parts of any business but the challenges of hiring top talent have similarly grown. Skills shortages driven by Brexit, IR35 and changes in working patterns caused by Covid continue to create obstacles for companies.

So what exactly are the challenges?

The UK digital tech economy employs more than three million people; a figure that far outstretches other giants such as construction or financial services. But despite that huge figure of employment, the demand for tech skills is ever growing. The number one challenge facing recruiters and companies focused on technology is a massive skills shortage. Technology is a rapidly evolving industry and therefore, the recruitment market requires constantly developing skills and talent, something that can only be driven by constant personal and corporate investment in training.

Covid has demanded a shift in the way people work, with a significant push towards technological solutions, and as a result, reskilling to accommodate such needs has become a necessary component of career development. Without the necessary drive to train, it will be nearly impossible to match the rate of growth in the industry with new talent.

This vacuum is only exaggerated when considered in conjunction with other problems. For example, Brexit has reduced the transfer of knowledge into the UK market from parts of Europe, simply reducing the number of applicants available to any company. If the country as a whole can no longer attract top talent, the pool of candidates available to UK companies will continue to be restricted.

Flexibility is another factor that is impacting career choice and skills availability. The tightening of rules associated with IR35 has created confusion for many highly-skilled tech workers around contract work. Specifically, acquisition of talent in the public sector has been significantly impacted, and yet still represents a large proportion of tech-focused opportunities.

So what’s the solution?

• Education

Companies need to understand that investing in the talent pool starts early. By working effectively with schools and universities, companies can bolster the flow of new talent into the market, talent that is specifically reactive to the changing landscape of new technology itself. In addition, ongoing training and development will ensure that they are able to retain talent long-term and therefore future-proof their position in their respective industries.

• Improving the recruitment process

The very nature of technology drives people towards greater ease and efficiency. Therefore, companies need to ensure that their recruitment processes match these expectations. Long recruitment processes and convoluted application forms are major deterrents to potentially valuable candidates. Companies should aim to draw in talent by showcasing their understanding of new technologies by proactively introducing them into their own processes.

• Benefits

As with many areas of work since Covid, techies have come to understand the possibilities of varied working environments. Companies who can exemplify their flexibility and provision of benefits will do better at attracting new talent and will be more able to retain talent. Specifically, considering options such as remote work, career paths and upskilling will show that a company is willing to invest, not only in the technology itself, but in the people they rely on to implement it.

• Getting help

Given the varied nature of the tech industry, and the ever evolving skills required to implement technological change, often the most effective way to find the best talent is to seek help from those who know. Specialist tech recruiters are best placed not only to find the talent, but also to evaluate it and, with the support of any company, to attract it. Often it is better to tap into the networks of tech recruitment companies rather than seek out the talent across the varied and multiple platforms and forums in which the talent hides, only visible to those who know what to look for.

Auxeris is a recruitment agency powered by a network of specialist recruiters. We are experienced in tech recruitment and can help with sourcing candidates for a variety of roles. Find out more about our specialist consultants here.