Article: Revisiting IT hiring trends in 2019

Strategic HR

Revisiting IT hiring trends in 2019

A look at some of the most prominent hiring trends in the tech industry in 2019.
Revisiting IT hiring trends in 2019

Digital transformation serving as the driving force behind recruitment

The world of business is in constant flux and frequent disruptive changes that thwart the status quo have made it compulsory for organizations to be agile. It has become imperative to maintain a pace of change and ensure that the transformation is aligned with the altering environment and customer demands. 

To achieve such a state of fluidity, businesses need an advanced IT solution complemented by infrastructure that supports a shift in strategy. This has given rise to requirements for niche talents and candidates with unique skill sets. Although there is no dearth of human resources in the market, organizations are finding it tough to find the right people for the right job. Let’s look at some of the top tech hiring trends in 2019 that will continue to impact the recruitment domain in the coming year as well: 

Adoption of new technologies by HR for finding the right candidates 

Building a pipeline of potential candidates or filling a vacant position quickly is not an easy task anymore. Scouring through thousands of resumes, filtering the job boards, looking for talent on social media, shortlisting, ensuring that the candidates are the right fit in the organizational culture, and more, requires a great deal of time and perseverance. HR departments have started exploring the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to automate and quicken tasks like candidate sourcing, candidate rediscovery, candidate matching, remote hiring, diversity hiring, analyzing personalities, analyzing facial expressions and body language, and a lot more. For bulk hiring, AI is increasingly being used to screen the candidates at the initial stages. AI is helping in checking for basic technical and experience requirements and legalities. 

Furthermore, companies are also leveraging AI-based psychological profiling and game theory-based personality assessments. Some companies have started using video interviews to find out if applicants are confident and have the qualities they are looking for. The use of advanced technologies in the recruitment process is helping the HR departments to accelerate the pace of hiring.

Two-way transparency and conducive work culture are gaining traction

The demand for niche talent is on the rise, and the supply is less. This has made the candidates with specific skill sets more aware and selective about the organizations they opt to work with. Organizations have become more forthcoming and inform the candidates about the work environment, the kind of temperament and working style that they are looking for, the technologies employees would be working on, the reporting structure, how their day would look like, flexibility at work, and the growth opportunities in the future. However, just as employers dig deep into each candidate, the candidates also evaluate the employers before joining. Candidates are increasingly opting to work for start-ups as they offer greater transparency, freedom, independent decision-making, no hierarchy, and more autonomy. Organizations are becoming more open by providing a clear picture of the work scenario before releasing the offers. This has made the recruitment process more transparent from both perspectives.

Candidate attitude and real skills are gaining prominence

Practical skills, real talent, communication, attitude, and confidence of candidates dictate how they would perform in the job situation. Businesses are now giving higher priority to industry knowledge, communication skills, listening skills, team collaboration capabilities, candidate attitude, leadership qualities, customer service attitude, past experiences, adaptability, and alignment with the corporate vision and above all to emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence is usually the foundation for a host of leadership skills and impacts almost every decision taken by an individual.

Thus, it is the role of HR to ensure that the candidate fits well within the culture and should have a keenness to learn. Many organizations are hiring candidates with the right fundamental skills and attitude and then upskilling them based on specific business requirements. By hiring the right people, businesses are looking to invest in tech talent branding for long-term success.  

Compensation remains the king

Candidates are aware of what they are worth than ever before. Today’s workforce know that they are bringing immense value to the table and how much they should gain in return. The acute talent demand has given rise to highly competitive pay packages that include a range of benefits like stock options, joining bonuses, retention bonuses, health insurance, life insurance, paid time off, retirement savings plan, car loan, home loan, etc. 

Apart from monetary compensation, organizations are also enticing candidates with flexible work schedules, childcare options, professional development opportunities, up-skilling training, high-quality and healthy food options, fitness facilities, ergonomic office equipment, health screenings, office outings, team dinners, parental leaves, gifts and discounts, and much more. Organizations are striving hard and leaving no stone unturned to attract the best candidates, train them and retain them. 

In conclusion

The competition to onboard the right talent first is intense among IT organizations, and the shortage of people with the right working approach and soft-skills makes it even tougher. As more information becomes available, we see higher usage of technology and information insights in the recruitment process for the coming year. HR teams have already started using AI-based automation tools for the initial screening of candidates; we expect to see greater adoption and evolution of such tools in background verification, assessing the skills of the candidates. In 2020, businesses would continue and hire candidates based on their strong fundamental skills and attitude and then train and upskill them in various areas to make them fit for the role. In such a scenario, candidates must invest in developing soft skills and becoming more adaptable to changing technology environment to stay relevant and employable in the time to come.

 

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Topics: Strategic HR, #Trends, #Rewind2019, #GuestArticle

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