Hiring the best tech workers: if only there was an app for that! Unfortunately, hiring the best workers for your technology and IT jobs isn’t as easy as clicking a button.
Thanks to a tech worker shortage and the skills gap, it’s actually harder than ever to find the right people you need for your open positions. Despite the high unemployment rate in America, finding the right people for technology sector jobs is still a real challenge.
This is because, while the pool of unemployed job seekers is large, the pool of those who can perform these highly skilled tech jobs is actually fairly small. The skills gap between the qualifications employers need and the qualifications job seekers have feels like it gets wider all the time.
The video interview can be a great tool for connecting with the best candidates and scooping them up before your competition. But before we delve into why the video interview could be the solution to your tech worker shortage problem, let’s look at some facts about hiring in the technology industry:
Hiring Challenges in the Technology Field
Before you start mapping out your plan to jump the skills gap before your competitors, here are some of the issues currently facing the IT industry:
- While the unemployment rate for all job seekers hovers at around 7 percent, the unemployment rate for those in the IT industry and technological fields is a paltry 4 percent.
- It’s tough out there in the job market…unless you work in technology. Sixty-four percent of tech workers were confident they could find a favorable new job in the new year.
- According to a report by The Partnership for a New American Economy, only about 4 percent of U.S. undergraduates are enrolled in STEM programs.
- The result? By 2018, the U.S. will face a shortage of about 224,000 hi-tech workers. Ouch!
How Can The Video Interview Help?
Video interviewing can help you jump the skills gap when hiring for tech jobs. Here are a few ways they are helping employers find top talent:
Easier Scheduling With Talented Passive Candidates
Due to the high demand, the best tech job seekers are likely to have packed schedules. Your company might find a great passive candidate who would be perfect for your open position, but finding time to schedule a conventional interview is another story. Not only is this passive candidate in high demand, but also it’s likely their schedule will make a face-to-face sit down hard to come by.
This is a great example of how the video interview can help your company scoop up top talent. That passive candidate who doesn’t have time to commute out to your office just might have time to squeeze a video interview into their packed schedule.
In a live video interview, you can connect with the passive candidate in real time just like in a traditional sit-down interview. However, because these interviews can be performed from anywhere, even the busiest passive candidate can make time to connect via webcam.
Now you can jump the skills gap by isolating talent and connecting with these individuals faster than in the traditional process.
Personal Connections For Corporate Culture Fit
Video interviews also help employers connect on a more personal level with talented technology workers. This personal connection is important, because finding candidates who will fit into your corporate culture is vital for long-term success.
Just why is corporate culture fit so important? Well, first consider the average salary range for a new tech hire is $80,000 to $120,000 a year. Then consider employee turnover can cost a company at least 21 percent of an employee’s annual salary. Let’s not forget the cost it takes to hire a great candidate and train them in the first place. All this can add up to a lot of money fleeing your company if you ignore corporate culture fit.
By helping employers and candidates connect more personally even earlier than in the traditional recruiting process, video is essential in evaluating corporate culture fit faster. For instance, companies can evaluate video resumes to see if the candidate’s personality will mesh with the overall corporate environment.
You can also use one-way virtual interviews, where employers present job seekers with typed questions to answer on video. These are much faster and more efficient than phone screens, and will allow you to see if your in-demand tech worker is likely to leave the company due to a cultural mismatch.
Jumping the skills gap and finding the best technology workers for your open jobs isn’t simple. By utilizing the video interview, you can connect faster and more personally with great passive candidates and smart tech superstars to stay ahead of the pack.