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    First 3 Questions to Ask Tech Talent (& What to Listen For)

    About this Infographic

    Make the most of technical phone screens by starting off strong with these 3 initial questions. Equally important to knowing what to ask is knowing what to listen for in answers (we share that too!). Use this infographic to make phone screens productive for both yourself and candidates. More

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    Navigating Layoffs, Leveraging Strengths, & More: Talk Talent to Me January ’23 Recap

    Catch up on the January 2023 episodes of Hired’s Talk Talent to Me podcast featuring recruiting and talent acquisition leadership who share strategies, techniques, and trends shaping the recruitment industry. 

    Layoffs and the importance of networking with Jason Walker & Rey Ramirez, Co-Founders of Thrive HR Consulting 

    Individuals’ greatest strengths with Dr. Scott Whiteford, Director of Leadership Analytics at Talent Plus 

    The value of talent acquisition with Rahul Yodh, VP of TA at New Western

    1. Jason Walker & Rey Ramirez, Co-Founders of Thrive HR Consulting 

    Given the current economic climate, employers and employees around the world are becoming better acquainted with the reality of layoffs each day. Guests discuss the ins and outs of layoffs, including the factors affecting them, the typical process, who’s most at risk, and how to mitigate that risk. They also provide insight into the current hiring (and firing) landscape and the push and pull of navigating remote work post-pandemic. 

    Related: How to Improve Job Security During an Economic Downturn: Career Advice for Recruiters

    “You’ve got to treat employees respectfully because the same people you’re laying off today are the ones you’re going to be trying to re-recruit in nine months.”

    Listen to the full episode.

    2. Dr. Scott Whiteford, Director of Leadership Analytics at Talent Plus 

    Dr. Whiteford delves into what it means to focus on strengths over weaknesses, the importance of self-reflection, and how to become increasingly specialized throughout your career. He also shares advice for young people on how to discover their strengths, the importance of looking at the whole person when you want to hire successfully, and how to form a constructive partnership with a hiring manager.

    “Understand what parts of your job you like, what parts you don’t like, where you’re good, where you’re not so good. The better prepared you are to have that conversation with your leader, the more likely you’re going to see a strong outcome.” 

    Listen to the full episode.

    3. Rahul Yodh, VP of TA at New Western

    Without a specific revenue amount associated with it, talent acquisition is often viewed as a cost center. However, Rahul explains there is a direct positive revenue impact to each hire a business makes and how important it is for TA leaders to make others aware of this. He also shares advice on how to change the way talent acquisition is viewed in organizations, his philosophy on interviews, and the importance of building cross-departmental relationships.

    “As a TA leader, you’ve got to think like a revenue org leader, like a COO, like a chief marketing officer, chief sales officer. You’ve got to really sharpen your business IQ and be able to demonstrate quantifiable terms that your team is providing.”

    Listen to the full episode.

    Want more insights into recruiting tips and trends?

    Tune into Hired’s podcast, Talk Talent to Me, to learn about the strategies, techniques, and trends shaping the recruitment industry—straight from top experts themselves. More

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    How to Secure a Citi Internship in 2023

    As job seekers ourselves at one point, we always wondered what it would be like to get a behind-the-scenes look at a company’s job application and interview process. To know what recruiters are looking for, what the do’s and don’ts are, and exactly what it takes to get noticed by a specific company.

    Forget about one-size fits all resume guides and interview tips. Anyone who has spent a month in the job market knows very well how much application processes differ from company to company.

    One application and interview process that is particularly unique? Citi’s incredibly lucrative Banking Internship; a program that earned a spot on WayUp’s Top 100 Internships 2022.

    Recently, we got the chance to chat with a couple of individuals who participated in Citi’s nationally recognized Summer Analyst program. In our conversations, three Summer Analysts from Citi reveal what they did to secure their positions at Citi and set up such bright futures for themselves.

    Fine-Tune the Resume

    Before you land a Summer Analyst role with Citi, you’ve got to secure the interview, but before that, you’ve got to make sure that resume shines. So, the first thing you should always do, before anything else in the application process, is make sure your resume is in tip-top shape.

    If your resume isn’t up to date or looks messy, recruiters are going to have a hard time giving your application the stamp of approval. Take what a former Citi Summer Analyst did before submitting their application.

    “My initial belief going into the resume process was that I would not include school projects or projects that I thought were small. But what I learned was the exact opposite. You should always consider small projects because recruiters might notice certain skills you utilized during those projects that you didn’t list on your resume.”
    Citi Technology Summer Analyst

    To take their suggestions one step further, we suggest you prepare yourself by breaking down each experience on your resume by what skills were used. Ask yourself – are these skills relative to the job I’m applying for? Are they valued skills? Do these experiences and the skills that come with them deserve space on my resume?

    Tap Your Network

    As the ways to network diversify, so do the opportunities for early-career professionals to make connections that can propel their careers forward. 

    LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, WayUp, no matter how you choose to network, the two things you need to keep in mind are authenticity and speed. Although they might not have said it outright, everyone we spoke to in our interviews emphasized how when they pursued a new contact, they would never ask for something in return. They simply would introduce themselves and stay consistent with conversation over time.

    When you begin a conversation with a request – advice, more contacts, a job – you immediately displace yourself and often end up making the ensuing dialogue transactional and inauthentic.

    In any case, you should offer your new contact something, but coming in on neutral grounds will always be the best way to start a conversation.

    Once you’re confident you can keep things authentic, then you need to get up and start reaching out as much as possible. This speed factor is something a lot of professionals don’t always consider, but when a former Citi Summer Analyst explained it, things began to make perfect sense.

    If you can reach out to people starting early, that’s amazing, especially in the financial realm. Professionals in finance like to get their talent off early, and that doesn’t mean that they aren’t looking later on, but the earlier that you start, the faster you will join the industry.
    Citi Personal Banking Summer Analyst

    Hunt for On-Campus Opportunities

    One very common mistake that college students make is not using all of the resources available to them on campus. Those that do seek out those resources, especially the resources provided by the career services department, oftentimes find themselves on a direct track to flourishing employment opportunities.

    This is particularly true when it comes to Citi as their presence on campus is massive. One of the main ways Citi stays active at colleges across the country is through its Early ID program. 

    After hearing about this on-campus mentorship program through a couple of alumni from her school, one former Citi Summer Analyst decided to apply for the program with the intention of learning new skills and growing herself professionally. She didn’t know if she would get a job from it, but she took the chance, put in the work, and is now a contributing member of Citi’s personal banking department.

    In another instance, a former Summer Analyst with Citi and current Campus Ambassador used her campus event posting board to start making contacts and learning about new opportunities.

    I used a campus job board where you can go on and see different events happening on your campus and different companies coming. I decided I’ll go to as many events as I can, as many as my schedule allows, and Citi was one of them. I went to one of their fireside chats Freshman fall where I met a university recruiter who would later offer me a job.
    Citi Wealth Management Summer Analyst, Current Campus Ambassador

    Almost every college with a career services department has resources like what one former Summer Analyst describes. If you can’t find it immediately, just contact someone from the career center!

    How to Prepare for the Interview

    If you’re able to make that resume sparkle, put on your networking cap, and use as many resources as you have access to, there is a very good chance that you make it to the interview process. This is perhaps one of the most critical steps of the process, especially when it comes to Citi’s Summer Analyst program.

    Although it is subject to change, our understanding of the Citi Summer Analyst program interview is that it has two parts – a behavioral and a technical component. This means you should be able to answer questions regarding both comprehension and knowledge while also being able to deliver on reactive and situational assessments. 

    There really is no way to know for sure what your recruiter or interviewer is going to ask, so the best way to prepare is by educating yourself and rehearsing as much as possible!

    I did mock interviews with some family members to build up my behavioral interview skills. I also watched a ton of YouTube videos about what to talk about and what points to hit whenever you’re being interviewed.
    Citi Technology Summer Analyst

    He knew that he would have to react on his toes and do so with ease and fluidity, so he made sure to practice his presentation and speech-making skills. He also knew that he would be assessed on his knowledge of the industry and space he was applying to. He didn’t know what exactly, so he cast a wide net and tried to gather as much information as he could. 

    These are by far the best ways to prepare yourself for an interview for Citi’s Summer Analyst program.

    Proceed With an Open Mind

    One thing that remains consistent between the three former Summer Analysts we interviewed is the way they approached the Summer Analyst application process at Citi. Each one of them went about it with an open mind and zero preconceptions of what the process might look like and how it might benefit them.

    One former Summer Analyst joined Citi to gain experience, learn new skills, and grow herself professionally. There was no need to assume she would pursue a career with Citi. 

    When you pursue a job just because you want a job, passion tends to dwindle. But when you pursue a job with the intention of learning and growing yourself, you can get more out of it. The former Summer Analyst we are referring to ended up being one of the few Summer Analysts to be extended an offer for a two-year rotational program that she is now embarking on.

    As for one former Citi Summer Analyst, he retained an open mind when it came to interviewing at Citi. He didn’t assume it was going to go one way or another, he didn’t practice a pre-arranged plot structure, he just remained authentic and armed himself with as much information as possible. In this case, his broad scope paid off.

    Below is a perfect example of how an open mind can lead you to incredible success.

    When I came to Georgetown my freshman year, I wasn’t sure which career path I wanted to take. A Citi recruiter told me to apply to their sophomore leadership program, which I hadn’t heard of until she told me about it. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to be in finance, but I was like, you know, it wouldn’t hurt to apply and just see where this takes me. Maybe I’ll like it. So, I did and then ended up choosing to Summer Analyst within the Wealth Management sector!
    Citi Wealth Management Summer Analyst, Current Campus Ambassador

    Apply What You Know!

    These are the tricks of the trade, the gate code at the secret entrance, and the tried & true methods to secure a position with Citi for their 2024 Summer Analysts.

    We’ve given you the road map, all you need to do now is follow the course to land an Summer Analyst role that might just change the trajectory of your entire career. More

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    How T-Mobile Gave Me The Tools to Grow My Career

    As your career progresses, it is natural to start growing curious about other opportunities and new positions. Whether that’s a new job outside of your current company, a different department within your company, or even a more senior title, these desires have a tendency to appear more than once during your career.

    Given this inevitable circumstance, it is important to know that your company is willing to support your desire to grow. But what does that support look like? And how do you know your company is willing to provide it?

    While we can’t speak for all of the companies in the telecommunications space, we can say for certain that T-Mobile is a place that supports the growth of its employees in any path that they choose to follow.

    Recently, we spoke with a few employees at T-Mobile to hear what that support looks like and how it helped them advance their careers.                  

    Freedom to Follow Passions

    One of the first things that stood out about T-Mobile is the company’s encouragement of employees to follow their passions.

    For example, Kasey Liang, a recruiting coordinator at T-Mobile, started her career with the company in a Talent Acquisition internship. Her initial responsibilities had to do with making sure the backend software used to recruit and hire talent was working and also ensuring a smooth transition to a new platform.

    However, midway through, Kasey realized that she would “rather be talking to candidates instead of dealing with the software behind it.” What Kasey did next was express these desires to her manager who not only met them with positivity and support but started helping her through the steps to make that transition. 

    One thing Kasey’s manager suggested was to start reaching out to those in the positions Kacey was seeking. This would consist of asking questions about how they got those positions, what they’ve done right, and what they’ve done wrong. 

    An Openness to Share Knowledge

    Across all of T-Mobile’s employees is an attitude of support and encouragement. This means that they will always offer help to those seeking it. As Kasey reached out to other employees at T-Mobile, she was able to learn more about the day in the life of a Recruiter.

    The fact that an employee will take time out of their day to show you what they’re doing and even allow you to shadow them goes to show the kind of spirit and camaraderie that takes place at T-Mobile.

    Transferable Skills

    Another great feature of working at T-Mobile is that you’re going to learn skills that you can take with you throughout your entire career. For example, T-Mobile uses software called Workday that helps employees with a variety of work-related functions. Being that Workday is very popular, knowing how to use it will look that much better to your next employer who may require that knowledge.

    As for the recruiting position, one thing you’re going to do a lot of is talking. You’ll be learning how to take large amounts of information like job details and responsibilities, and condense them into chunks of exciting and attention-grabbing bits. In some cases, you’ll have to negotiate pay and contracts. In other cases, you might have to learn how to have complex or difficult conversations.

    One way or another, you will be advancing your communication skills every step of the way. Another way that employees would build skills and learn new things would be through T-Mobile’s their own trial and error and exploration of new concepts.

    No One’s Going to Be Breathing Down Your Neck

    While the environment at T-Mobile is very hands-on and good at offering direct instruction, they also help employees grow by not micromanaging them and allowing them to learn individually. 

    By embracing a culture that allows individuals to think freely, T-Mobile is building employees who are able to take initiative and think on their feet. This creates a future workforce of leaders and individuals who know how to get things done.

    They Want You to Lead

    T-Mobile is a company that has all intentions of expanding and continuing to put its thumbprint on the telecommunications and technology industries. In order to do that, they want to see their employees succeed. Anastasia Byrd participated in a business intelligence internship this past May and today, she is a Senior Analyst. While the road to a senior title is not necessarily easy, it is made more attainable by the resources that T-Mobile provides.

    A manager at T-Mobile even once stated “my job is to help you get to where you want to go next.” It didn’t matter if that meant leaving the team and going somewhere else or into a senior position like Anastasia, the manager’s main intention was to enable employees to do what they desire.

    Navigating your professional desires, especially when it’s early on in your career, can be daunting. But it is made much easier when you work for a company that allows you to follow your passions and gives you the resources to help you attain them.

    If you’re someone who has always been inspired to reach new heights and accomplish your dreams, T-Mobile is an employer that will help you do it. Start browsing open roles today and get one step closer to obtaining your goals.  More

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    Why Choose Stifel?  It’s Simple – You and Your Ideas Are Welcome Here.   

    Success is more than just an ideology here at Stifel.  It’s about taking the ideas of how to succeed and putting them into action.  These actions permeate throughout our organization, within every department, and at every Stifel branch across the nation.  And it all starts with you.  

    Stifel is a place where you can build a challenging, rewarding career with one of the industry’s most diverse, creative teams.  A place where new ideas are welcome and fresh thinking is encouraged.  The kind of thinking that helps us understand and use the forces of the market to be ready for whatever is next.

    To make this happen, our leadership makes the well-being of our associates a top priority.  We actively promote a new and different type of thinking, anchored by a commitment to helping you build strong relationships with your fellow associates across the organization. 

    So, how do we do that?  Entrepreneurial spirit.  Innovation.  And, of course, diversity and inclusivity.  These are all great ideas on the surface – but at Stifel, we put them into action from the top down.  Our leadership sets the tone with each and every associate, and our mentorship philosophy is where our culture really starts to thrive.  We encourage people in leadership positions to step back and ask themselves, “What did I need when I was coming up in the industry?  Who put a hand out for me?  Who gave me guidance?  How can I turn that around and help others that are entering our field”

    At Stifel, if you have an idea, our leadership will listen to it and truly consider it.  Your ideas can actually be put into place pretty quickly.  Our organization is structured like that.  Building on that sentiment, fostering collaboration is another key component to what makes Stifel great.  Our firm is built around supporting not only our clients, but also each other.  This is based on another simple, yet effective, guiding philosophy at Stifel – the “Golden Rule.”  Treat each other the way we would want to be treated and listen with empathy, respect, and with a heart toward understanding.     

    Stifel is often described as a large firm with a startup mentality.  Its metaphorical open-door policy means that a junior staff member can easily call a senior manager and speak with them, for example.  Additionally, the family-like relationship that the associates across departments and branches share is something very special and unique.  

    According to a study conducted by Coqual, organizations rated highly for diversity and inclusion have 57% better collaboration.  We’ve taken this to heart.  Dr. Benjamin Ola. Akande, Director of Human Resources, Diversity and Inclusion, has been an integral force in championing diversity and inclusion initiatives across the firm.

    “That’s essentially what Stifel has always done and continues to do so well – to help individuals, to help organizations, to help communities, to strengthen their capacity to be difference-makers. That’s why I’m so excited to be at Stifel – because I’m part of a team that believes in the wonderfulness of America and the ability to be able to make things better.”
    Dr. Benjamin Ola. Akande More

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    7 Ways to Message UVPs to Tech Candidates Now: Recruitment Marketing in 2023

    What You’ll Learn

    Why it’s not about hyper-growth anymore

    How to be creative and considerate when structuring and communicating benefits

    Why emphasizing flexibility is key

    About this eBook

    At the beginning of 2022, a common recruitment message to candidates was how rapidly a company was growing, or about the latest round of funding. 

    After companies of all sizes laid off workers in mid through late 2022, those messages needed revisions. Now, there is an unprecedented volume of high-quality, seasoned talent looking for their next role. 

    To make the most of this opportunity to reach previously passive candidates and slingshot your teams forward, use this eBook to proactively address jobseeker priorities or concerns. More

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    How to Onboard Successfully & More: Talk Talent to Me December ’22 Recap

    Catch up on the December 2022 episodes of Hired’s Talk Talent to Me podcast featuring recruiting and talent acquisition leaders who share strategies, techniques, and trends shaping the recruitment industry. 

    Respecting history, protecting the future, and maintaining healthy office culture with Hadley Haut, Executive Director at The Atlantic 

    Diversity on a leadership level, career path building, and successful onboarding with Amy Cappellanti-Wolf, CHRO at Cohesity

    Educational standards, the importance of soft skills, and India as a source of talent with Aditya Singh, Director of Talent Acquisition at Informatica

    Working for an agency versus in-house, initiating urgency and speed, and the responsibilities of a TA leader with Jodi Cohen, Director of Talent Acquisition at Tombras

    HR personnel versus recruiters, turning a bad interview into a valuable one, and personal branding with The HR Twins Carla Patton & Camille Tate

    Unconventional career journeys, the pressure to specialize, and why sourcing is often oversimplified with Wesley Gilbert, Global Head of TA at On

    A white glove approach to recruiting, reframing job descriptions, and flexibility in the resume process with Alia Poonawala & Emma O’Rourke-Powell, Recruiting Directors at Johns Hopkins University 

    1. Hadley Haut, Executive Director at The Atlantic

    Candidates should approach the company they want to work for with deliberate ambition, adequate research, and the will to uphold company values. Hadley did exactly that on her way to becoming Executive Director of Talent and Culture at The Atlantic. She shares how, despite the difficulties of the pandemic, her company successfully maintained its office culture. Hadley also explains why working in-office is still extremely valuable for all employees. 

    “When you’re ready for a new job, the best thing you can do is reach out to a company where you really want to work, because that’s the first thing anyone who is hiring you will notice.” 

    Listen to the full episode.

    2. Amy Cappellanti-Wolf, CHRO at Cohesity

    The workplace is rapidly changing and there is an increasing focus on the mental health, wellness, goals, and happiness of employees. Amy discusses her interesting HR philosophies and shares how to find the right way to help onboarding employees integrate successfully. Amy also suggests how to lead onboarding to secure employee retention and engage employees in their work. She even offers an example of how to plan an employee’s onboarding process!

    “There’s a ton of studies that if you don’t get onboarding, right within the first month to 60 days, retention drops drastically after the first year of employment. It’s not only the right thing to do for your employees, but there’s real business value in doing that.” 

    Listen to the full episode.

    3. Aditya Singh, Director of Talent Acquisition at Informatica 

    As educational standards constantly change, is it still necessary to hire talent based solely on the educational background? Or, should recruiters look for something else? Aditya helps answer this and emphasizes the importance of soft skills. He also discusses India as a major source of talent for companies based outside of the country, explaining why India is unique in the talent it produces. Learn about the country’s current surge in technical skills development and why startups remain the focus of many Indian investors.

    “I think we need to get away from role-based positions. The guardrails of education are slowly moving out. I think that we find the person who’s able to deliver, focus on the result and what the individual brings to the table, and then the background of the individual.”

    Listen to the full episode.

    4. Jodi Cohen, Director Talent Acquisition at Tombras

    Jodi dives into her journey as a recruiter and how she ended up working in-house, which she compares to working for an agency. She also dives into how she brought urgency and speed to Tombras, and moves quickly while putting processes in place. Jodi tells us her thoughts on the roles and responsibilities of a Director of Talent Acquisition, and why being hands-on is essential. 

    “I am still very reluctant to pass on any responsibilities through the hiring process. Anything that’s communication with the candidate, I’m still going to take on, because that ensures that the relationship with the candidate is going to be maintained throughout the process.” 

    Listen to the full episode.

    5. Camille Tate & Carla Patton, Head of Talent at Strava and VP of HR at RAPP

    For departments that should work in tandem, many find that HR personnel and recruiters often devalue each other’s roles. This episode’s guest duo rectified this common situation and reveal exactly how HR and TA should join forces. In fact, these two guests are twins and work side-by-side to deliver the hit podcast, The Career Saloon. Carla and Camille offer takes on their least favorite aspects of the opposite department too. As for advice, they tell us how to turn a bad interview into a valuable one, why it’s vital to be self-aware, and why personal branding is inherent in each of us. 

    Related: What Happens When TA & Hiring Managers Unite? Best Practices from One Medical, NBCUniversal & More

    “People are always watching you. It doesn’t matter if you think they aren’t; they are always watching you. If you don’t think you have a personal brand, you do.”

    Listen to the full episode.

    6. Wesley Gilbert, Global Head of TA at On

    Not everyone follows a linear career path, and pursuing a non-traditional route can equip you with useful skills you wouldn’t otherwise have acquired. With a varied and eventful career journey, Wesley is living proof that there’s no correct way to approach your career. He offers a refreshing perspective, sharing how a fortuitous encounter facilitated his first recruitment job and how he realized the inflexibility of a larger organization wasn’t for him. He also discusses the pressure to become more specialized (and the benefits of being a generalist). 

    “It doesn’t matter how senior you are when you come into a company. We’re going to give you some autonomy, we’re going to give you some scope. And we’re going to give you the trust to go and do that. And that means that you just attract a completely different caliber of people.”

    Listen to the full episode.

    7. Alia Poonawala & Emma O’Rourke-Powell, Recruiting Directors at Johns Hopkins University 

    In another episode featuring double the insights, Alia and Emma from Hire Hopkins, the recruiting arm of Johns Hopkins University, discuss university recruitment. They shed light on their white glove approach featuring one-on-one and data-driven work, and share how building an infrastructure streamlines the recruitment process. Alia and Emma also explain how to reframe job descriptions to generate interest from the target market, why flexibility is vital in the resume process, and why you should consider international talent. 

    “The companies that do well are the ones that are teachable and willing to experiment.” 

    Related: Raise the Bar in 2023: Strategies from Top Employers Winning Tech Talent (VIDEO)

    Listen to the full episode.

    Want more insights into recruiting tips and trends?

    Tune into Hired’s podcast, Talk Talent to Me, to learn about the strategies, techniques, and trends shaping the recruitment industry—straight from top experts themselves. More

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    Hiring Tech Talent is Tough. Here’s Why (and What to Do About it)

    Pandemics change things. They are the cultural equivalent of an apocalypse, and while we can rebuild and recover, the process of adapting to a whole new landscape can be labor intensive and painful. 

    We’re still in the midst of the shifts created by Covid-19 and the ensuing lockdowns. Many of them are showing themselves in labor markets, hiring tools, and overall attitudes towards work. Economic uncertainty over the course of 2023 will only continue to shift the ground under our feet. 

    A 98% chance of a global recession in 2023, as reported by Ned Davis Research, has alarmed experts worldwide. Even with continued efforts to control inflation, 90% of CEOs expect to see a significant rise in cost within the next 12 months. Moreover, 50% of HR leaders expect increased talent competition over the next six months.

    These trends present challenges for the tech industry’s recruitment and talent acquisition landscape. Despite this, software engineer and developer roles continue to be in demand. 

    According to Hired, software engineers received twice the amount of interview requests last year than in 2020. However, reduced hiring will probably continue with the anticipated recession, as well as tech hiring freezes and potential layoffs.

    Related: Cost of Vacancy: Making the Case for Hiring During a Downturn

    How did tech recruiting become even more challenging?

    The technology industry is rife with competition, an overwhelming skills gap, and a shortage of seasoned professionals—a true catch-22 situation. Specific skill-set requirements, high demand for developers, and long hiring processes even lead recruiters to lose candidates to competitors.

    In a nutshell, things have become complex. Entirely new challenges, along with others that were idling in the background for years, are shifting rapidly into high gear.

    1. Remote work sparks a tech boom

    With lockdowns and remote work policies, organizations underwent rapid digitization to support work-from-home. Team meetings, organizational development, and everything in between, forced companies to change tech and revamp policies, which increased demand for tech experts as a whole.

    Related eBook: How Smart Companies are Solving Post-Lockdown Working (4 New Trends)

    2. Tech talent crisis: the skills gap

    Technologies like cloud computing, data science, and machine learning—once esoteric and mostly discussed at the university level—are now ubiquitous. The speed with which this tech has delivered results has been geometric, thus creating increased demand. New roles offering great opportunities for people with the right skill-sets are multiplying, but those skills are often in short supply. 

    Meanwhile, industries and roles that were once mainstream are rapidly becoming obsolete. This is leaving the workforce trained for jobs that either no longer exist or look far different than they did just a few years ago.

    Now, as technology evolves to meet these demands, organizations and jobseekers are struggling to keep up, leaving many tech roles vacant and in need of urgent hire.

    3. Shrinking tech talent pools

    The skills gap problem is compounded by a limited pool of tech talent. Datapeople’s Tech Hiring report found that while job posts doubled in 2021, the talent pool shrank by 25%. According to a survey by Gartner, Inc, businesses cited the talent shortage as one of the main barriers to emerging tech adoption and modernization. 

    In addition, 93% of candidates show a preference for remote or hybrid jobs. While companies are more open to interviewing candidates from different markets, Hired data indicates many still limit their search to two time zones, leading to smaller talent pools and causing searches to fall short in a growing market. 

    Navigating the hiring landscape: what’s next?

    It’s true that overcoming these challenges will require consistent time and effort. While various strategies help you efficiently hire tech talent, it’s imperative to start with the fundamentals. 

    Here’s what you need to know.

    Tech talent will prevail

    Economic downturn or not, tech is here to stay. The demand for skilled talent will remain heavy across industries as companies adopt new technologies. Keeping an eye on upcoming market changes allows you to maximize your hiring efforts. 

    Trends to Watch:

    Current skills shortages and in-demand skills

    Popular technologies, tools, and software in use 

    Industry-specific issues like employee turnover and retention

    What employers are doing to meet candidate needs and demands 

    How your competitors attract and retain their talent

    Where to look for tech candidates

    Trends in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)

    Use insights from these trends to develop a robust talent acquisition strategy that allows you to attract your key candidates, stay connected over downtime, and begin onboarding when you are ready.

    Related eBook: 10 Things You Can Do to Reach DEI Goals

    Keep it coming

    Talent sustainability is defined as an organization’s ability to continuously attract, develop, and retain candidates with the skills and qualities required for current and future roles, allowing the company to align business and talent goals as they adapt to a swiftly changing market. 

    A sustainable talent strategy ensures that you hire mindfully by evaluating organizational skill gaps and needs, then building a pipeline of qualified candidates as you rise to meet your long-term goals. 

    In addition, a talent acquisition process that incorporates core values can help strengthen your employer brand. If you need help in this area, we’ve created resources for both startups and larger enterprise companies.

    Always one step ahead

    With the surge in digitization, data science, and artificial intelligence (AI), there is a widespread need for tech experts. However, the skills gap has created a scenario where companies struggle to find skilled talent, and employees struggle to learn new skills. 

    Throwing in an upcoming recession will significantly impact hiring in the tech industry. All these issues will define the forthcoming talent trends and challenges, which will no doubt lead to limited talent pools and labor shortages.

    If you haven’t already adopted a more vigorous and intentional stance to your talent strategy, we can help you get started. Book a demo with Hired today! More