Talent Shortage or Hiring Mindset?

The War on Talent. Hiring is Broken. Unicorn Hunting. Mismatch of Expectations and Reality. However you view the current state of hiring and talent in today's job market one thing is certain, CHANGE is necessary!

Change has been required for many employers in the job market since the post-recession unemployment has dropped and left a lopsided availability of talent. Overall there are less available workers to available jobs across the US. Each market, employer and state has its own unique challenges and some industries are better off while others are still losing talent.

The tech industry is in a unique position in and of itself, having a growing ecosystem and hundreds of businesses becoming more tech enabled or being built with tech at its heart (regardless of industry).

Most employers are looking for mid-senior level talent, but guess what...they don't grow on trees! Those folks are called unicorns or purple squirrels for a reason, because they're next to impossible to find.

Recently I had the pleasure of attending a couple different local tech events @ places like DeveloperTown and Infosys where one of the main topics discussed is around TALENT. Some of the stats discussed during the panel event was the average timeline a Mid-Sr level software engineer or cybersecurity professional was on the job market, which is 10 days or less (caveat being if they even enter the job market) BTW.

Why wouldn't they enter the job market you might question? Nowadays a persons professional network and industry connections (ala LinkedIn) help many find their next career role without even touching a resume or job application. So that makes the chances of finding and catching said talent even more difficult!

Questions

If you are on the hunt for talent (tech talent or otherwise) here are some questions to consider...

1. Is your employer/employee brand aligned with attracting the type of personalities and talent needed for success?
2. Is your company positioned to act quickly (10 days or less) in your pursuit of that level of talent (y/n)?? Consider your ATS, your recruiting process and funnel, and capacity of recruiting and hiring manager teams...

• If yes...congrats you're one step closer to winning in the current job market. (And if you feel great about how you're positioned, please sound off in the comments below ?? or ?? me directly, I'd love to hear more!)
• If no...

1. How are you competing for top talent in your industry/market?
2. Are you developing and growing your own talent?
3. Is it possible to skill-up your current entry-level and Jr. level talent into a Mid-Sr. level role (professional development or promote from within)? Talk about a much more efficient and cost effective strategy of creating an evergreen flow of talent!
4. Or could you be using outdated/unrealistic job descriptions? i.e. asking for 3-5 years experience for a role doing entry-level work.

Alternative and Non-traditional resources

This group of brilliant minds pictured below are just starting their journey with Eleven Fifty Academy. In a matter of 12 weeks this full-time cohort will graduate with 500+ hours of practical experience and skills! ??

Whether its Software Engineering, Web Development, or Cybersecurity the full AND part-time programs offer a chance at a new or enhanced career!??

Indiana and the #IndyTech community are in need of talented and passionate coders, programmers, and other related professionals!!

I'm not saying Eleven Fifty grads are the solution for everyone (hey, one can dream) but I am saying there are a rising number of alternative and non-traditional technical education resources, coding bootcamps, cyber academies, and training groups doing their part to address the growing gap of tech talent. These non-traditional groups are eliminating barriers to traditional (and costly) formal education all while developing and producing some of the hungriest and technically strong candidates entering the job market! Some may be better than others (that's for you to decide) and some may focus on different areas within tech or tech based businesses (such as UX/UI, Data Analytics, Cybersecurity, Digital Marketing, or even Tech Sales), while some may offer in-person courses where others offer virtual classrooms. Course Report does a pretty good review of the pro's and con's of this growing segment. Just ask companies like Woven, who are changing the perception of employers, eliminating the barriers around degree requirements and resume stereotypes by focusing on inclusive talent acquisition and a candidates technical chops.

The unique and awesome thing to think about when it comes to a group like the one pictured above is the eclectic mix of backgrounds and demographics that present a very compelling story...working full-time and taking part-time classes, single parents, out-placed professionals laid off from dying industries (manufacturing, call centers, etc.), entrepreneurs skilling up, young trailblazers ready to take the world by storm, and on and on it goes...these are the diverse groups of people and stories that make up the next generation of tech professionals leading us into the new decade and they deserve our attention and consideration!

While they may be in the earlier stages of a career in tech, these students will often ramp up into a mid level role within 6-12 months upon hire (career data proves it) because they are hungry to contribute and make an impact with their next employer. Employers who hire them and can provide an opportunity to learn from others (it takes a village sometimes), to collaborate and contribute, and who's values match to the mission and vision of the company (culture fit), stand to reap the benefits and be the one's who ultimately win in the war for talent!

If you are interested in learning more about Eleven Fifty Academy and it's programs for individuals and corporate training feel free to message me or check out more here. If you'd like an introduction to our graduates or alumni we can arrange that as well!

As always I welcome your comments and questions. Make it a great day!