The Tech & IT industry is booming. On the one hand, that is great news for development and innovation. On the other hand, this makes it extremely difficult for companies to recruit new specialists due to the shortage of experts, while at the same time facing the challenge of retaining those specialists that are already in their ranks. Then there's the fact that you can't "just grab one" when selecting new employees, because IT is a very broad field. For example, in software development alone, you can't easily equate one software developer to another. A developer must be a good fit for your company, because each programmer has a unique skill set that ranges from industry experience to preferred programming languages and ways of working. The fact that a company incurs opportunity costs once you fail to hire the right people in a timely manner doesn't make it any easier and, in turn, can limit a company's ability to scale.

In other words: recruitment has to be spot on.
In the following, we have compiled some of our thoughts that may help you when recruiting IT and SAP professionals.

1. Get creative with your recruitment process and team structures.

The "location" issue alone is a very important issue for companies. It is extremely difficult to find enough quality IT staff in a given location. We can't stress our recommendation to install remote engineering teams enough, as we've seen how successfully this works for some of our clients. Remote working activates a larger talent pool. English is the most widely spoken language in the world of IT anyway, which should make it easier for nationals of different countries to communicate.

2. How many new employees do we need? And when?

If the thesis "The IT industry is booming!" is anything to go by, the answer is: as many as possible and as soon as possible.
However, the right number of specialists has a great impact on stability and further development inside your company. That's why a company should determine an accurate need for skilled personnel and, at best, forecast when and how that need will be adjusted.
If you are not clear about your own recruitment needs, a.) you run the risk of having isolated employees who don't see themselves as super important to the business or even as replaceable, or b.) you run the risk of hiring the wrong employees because you didn’t have a defined roadmap for the future.

Our suggestion: ask yourself what your short and long term business goals are. Ask your workforce what their short and long term goals are. Together, you can then create a roadmap that everyone participates in and feels accountable for. This implements an entrepreneurial culture throughout the company and with every employee.

If you’re worrying about not having a crystal ball that lets you see into the future: don’t worry! Workforce planning is a continuous optimization process. It is a process that is ideally based on collaboration between the HR department, the technical / functional department and the finance department of the company. At best, each department participates and thus makes a business contribution.

3. Question your good old job description.

Time and time again, we observe that it is an art to publish a job description that appeals to specialists.
Our credo: Your job description is the first opportunity to impress specialists and potential applicants. This statement alone underlines the importance of your job description.

First, a job description should inform about your company and give a good insight into your company. This gives applicants a accurate idea of your company culture and what to expect.
Therefore, make sure that your job description and your company website communicate a precise picture of what you want to project to the outside world. Give applicants a clear picture of the career path they can take with you.

Second, desired skills and future responsibilities shouldn’t be missed. The reader immediately gets a clear picture of whether he/she is the right person for the position. But be careful: this is where you can also scare off potentially suitable specialists. Try not to put an overwhelming amount of requirements into your job description. Our experience has taught us that this repeatedly scares off interested parties and thus denies you the chance to meet these great specialists.

Thirdly, benefits and insights into working life at your company are helpful. Don't have too much respect for the fact that your benefits can't compete with those of big companies like Google or Amazon. They don't have to and no one expects them to. Your aim should be to radiate a friendly and authentic culture. Convey the impression that you care about your employees.

4. Don't let salary be the deciding factor.

Easier said than done, since it is almost impossible to sign off any demanded budget.
However, we have something for you to think about when you’re talking salary: All specialists you hire have the potential to create added value for your company. This thought puts everything in perspective.

Keep in mind that many people measure their appreciation by salary. At the same time, when setting a budget for a position, you can also think about the value your company can offer potential employees. This juxtaposition is much more important to think about than the mere monetary numbers. Talk about the value that will be generated for both sides.
If you manage to steer your conversations in this direction, then salary will no longer tip the scales. On the contrary, your result will automatically be a fair and satisfactory solution for both sides.

Last but not least, we have to mention that a thorough research on comparable salaries for the exact position you want to fill is extremely helpful. This is the only way to see if you are regionally competitive regarding your salary, or if you are forced to shake off employer competition on other points. (You can find reference points for salaries on Glassdoor, PayScale or LinkedIn, among others).
Our final statement: Always focus on the value a person brings to the table!

And don’t forget: If you need help with recruiting professionals, or advice on how to set up a coherent workforce plan, please contact us anytime:
contact@pickvogel.ch 
We are happy to help.