By Andrew C. Jackson
The high demand for skilled IT professionals in the Dallas-Fort Worth area continues. As candidates consider multiple offers, we’ve seen hiring delays that can lead to lost opportunities for businesses.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure in this scenario. Here are a few suggestions for expediting the hiring process:
- Understand the market – Gartner is projecting dips in national spending for IT workers, and that may cause hiring managers to take a more relaxed approach to making offers. DFW is a hot market for qualified IT candidates, with unemployment rates exceedingly low.
- Create a thorough, detailed job description— IT workers may be skeptical about their long-term prospects with companies that offer vague job descriptions. Companies may prefer broad job descriptions because they allow for flexibility as business needs change, but the most qualified candidates may be turned off and favor companies with more clearly-defined positions.
- Hire the “good” candidate — The perfect candidate may not be available in a hot IT market. If you wait, you’ll pass up on good candidates who may be lacking in one trainable skill. If a candidate has the necessary qualifications, but not all of the supplementary skills, consider making an offer before your competitors pounce.
- Make an offer after no more than two interviews – Most good candidates are interviewing with multiple firms. Some are satisfied with their current position and are just feeling out the market. Adding extra phone calls and meetings beyond two interviews can frustrate candidates, especially those who are currently employed. Worse, you risk losing the candidate to a competitor.
- Get budgets approved quickly – The most frustrating losses occur when candidates can’t be hired due to stalled budget approvals. Make sure the job requisition and budget are approved and that you have the authority to sign-off on an offer without engaging hard-to-reach managers on the day your candidate is ready to accept the position.
Andrew C. Jackson
President
BravoTech
