Despite job losses at big tech companies and the threat of job security from generative AI and automation, demand for skilled tech workers remains high. Business leaders recognize that knowledgeable IT professionals are key to unlocking the benefits of digital transformation and long-term growth. Here are five strategies shared by business leaders for attracting the best tech talent.
1. Create a strategy: Tractor Supply’s Chief Technology Officer, Rob Mills, believes that hiring diligently, motivating and guaranteeing top performance, and offering opportunities for development and growth are key to attracting talent. The company’s long-term vision, especially in digital areas such as data, AI, and analytics, also attracts promising talent. Building relationships with major universities and local communities ensures a source of skilled talent.
2. Identifying opportunities: KPMG Consulting Firm researcher, Lisa Henegan, believes that a company’s ability to attract talent is directly related to opportunities to learn new things. KPMG offers a wide range of practice areas, from audit to tax to consulting, allowing professionals to tackle big business challenges and broaden their skills.
3. Revealing values: Danny Gonzales, Chief Digital and Innovation Officer at London North Eastern Railway (LNER), focuses on values to help his company understand what they want from their employees. Cultivating values through a collaborative process, Gonzales believes in values such as “Be bold,” “Bring passion,” and “Be yours,” which encourage autonomy and owning one’s work.
4. Exciting projects: Pension Protection Fund Chief Information Technology Officer, Simon List, shows potential candidates that being part of his organization means working on important projects rather than just dealing with operational elements. List promotes a show-and-tell ethos, talking about values, strategic plans, and the impact that technology has had on the business.
5. Spread the word: Neil Poulton, Director of Development at the BCP Council, believes in apprenticeships and developing skills through on-the-job training. His organization looks for latent technology talent within the business and trains new hires to upskill them. By doing so, they have successfully hired Power Platform developers with raw skills that can be trained.