We’ve been creating recruitment videos for a decade and during that time we’ve only seen it get more challenging for tech companies to find and recruit top tier talent.
A recent commission from Studio Graphene to help them address this problem by making a creative recruitment video led to us to research the challenges that tech companies face when trying to recruit top talent from the best universities. Here we’ve shared some of the reasons we found for those difficulties:
1. High Demand for Talent: The technology industry is highly competitive, with a constant demand for top-tier talent. This demand often exceeds the supply of qualified professionals, making it difficult for companies to attract and retain the best candidates.
2. Skill Shortages: There is a shortage of skilled workers in specific areas of technology, such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, cybersecurity, and data science. These skills are in high demand, and companies often struggle to find candidates with the right expertise.
3. Location and Competition: Tech hubs like London attract a large number of tech companies, which leads to fierce competition for talent. Companies situated in tech hubs may find it especially challenging to stand out and attract the best candidates.
4. Evolving Technology: Technology is constantly evolving, and companies need to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and tools. Finding professionals who have the right skills and can adapt to new technologies quickly can be a challenge.
5. Compensation Expectations: Top-tier tech professionals often have high salary expectations, and companies may need to offer competitive compensation packages to attract them. This can strain a company’s budget, especially for startups or smaller firms.
6. Sustainability Credentials: A 2023 survey from SaveMoneyCutCarbon has found that one in every five workers would refuse to apply for a job at a company that is unable to showcase its commitments to sustainability.
7. Cultural Fit: Tech companies often prioritize cultural fit when hiring, which can make it difficult to find candidates who not only have the technical skills but also align with the company’s values and work culture.
8. Lengthy Hiring Processes: Tech companies often have lengthy and rigorous hiring processes, which can discourage top candidates who are sought after by multiple employers. A slow hiring process can result in losing top talent to faster-moving competitors.
9. Brand Reputation: A company’s reputation in the tech industry plays a significant role in its ability to attract top talent. Companies with strong brand recognition and positive reviews from current and former employees are more likely to attract top-tier staff.
10. Immigration and Visa Issues: Tech companies often look globally for talent, which can introduce additional challenges related to immigration and visa issues, particularly when hiring candidates from other countries.
11. Lack of Diversity: Tech companies also face challenges in achieving diversity in their workforce, which can limit their access to top-tier talent from underrepresented groups.
To overcome these challenges, tech companies often need to invest in employer branding, creative recruitment videos, competitive compensation packages, streamlined hiring processes, and ongoing training and development programs to attract and retain top-tier staff. Additionally, fostering a positive workplace culture and maintaining a reputation for innovation can also help in recruiting top talent.