Dive Brief:
- IT job applicants' most recent work experience resonates the most with hiring managers, a Robert Half survey found. The staffing firm said that even entry-level tech workers are also expected to have some previous work experience, but that their academic credentials also matter greatly.
- When asked to rank most important factors in evaluating entry-level tech candidates, IT hiring managers named experience along with: educational background, past success and projects, IT certifications and tech hobbies. For mid- and senior-level positions, the most important factors other than recent experience were: past successes and projects, tenure in the industry, educational credentials and certifications.
- "A resume tells just one part of a candidate's story," said Ryan Sutton of Robert Half Technology in a media release. "In today's tight labor market, pursuing a perfect skills and experience match is counterproductive. A smarter approach to recruiting involves gauging applicants' aptitude, willingness to learn and fit with the workplace culture."
Dive Insight:
Recruiters and hiring managers want to evaluate candidates' skills efficiently and quickly. Some tech tools can help simplify the task. For example, LinkedIn just announced its LinkedIn Skill Assessments tool that allows job seekers to have their skills evaluated before applying for a position. The tool also interfaces with LinkedIn's training platform, LinkedIn Learning, to allow applicants to upgrade their skills. Seen by Indeed focuses on sourcing and vetting candidates with hard-to-find tech skills. Tools like LinkedIn's and Indeed's can help hiring managers sort through applicants to select those who meet the criteria, and they can help applicants who have improved their skills get hired.
Besides finding candidates with the right skills — including hard-to-find skills — employers are asking what they need to do to attract today's job seekers and compete against "trendy" workplaces. Experts have said workers want to work for cutting-edge companies, like tech giants like Google and Apple, which use new tech and offer the latest in office design and perks.
Josh Withers of True Search, previously told HR Dive that companies should focus more time and resources on branding, which he said could include a range of actions, from updating career websites to using social media more strategically. Sheela Sukumaran, a Mercer partner, previously told HR Dive that legacy organizations should think of their employee value proposition more broadly to compete with cutting-edge upstarts.