Master Tech Recruiting: Unveiling Top Strategies to Be the Best Tech Recruiter

Who is a tech recruiter?
Can I become a tech recruiter with no experience?
Are tech recruiters and HRs the same?

These are some common questions that many people in or outside the HR domain have.

Tech or IT recruiters may work independently or with the HR department and specialize in filling open positions for technical roles in an organisation. They manage the recruitment process throughout its complete lifecycle. A technical recruiter should have technical knowledge, possess communication skills, and have a natural inclination toward all things tech.

In this article, we will highlight some of the essential skills that an IT or tech recruiter should have to lead the organisation to success.

Tips to be the best tech recruiter

Whether you are new to your job role or experienced, here are some tips and strategies that will help you become the best tech recruiter.

1. Understanding the Role of A Tech Recruiter

Tech recruiters are the ones who handle the fulfillment of tech openings in an organisation. From sourcing and screening to hiring and onboarding the candidates, they manage the process throughout. It helps identify the right talent for the organisation and fills the gap.

To understand the specific requirements of each role, they work closely with the tech hiring managers. It helps them understand the skills and qualifications required for the job and align them with the overall organisation’s objectives.

Moreover, they keep themselves updated on the latest trends and advances in technology to make informed decisions during recruitment.

2. Gain Foundational Technical Knowledge

For a technical recruiter, having strong foundational knowledge of technologies will come in handy. They don’t need to be experts, but having relevant knowledge enables them to assess a candidate’s skills better. As a tech recruiter, they also need to be aware of various programming languages, development methodologies, and tech stacks used across industries.

Technical recruiters should also be aware of emerging technologies, industry trends, and in-demand skills to make better recruiting decisions. Having technical knowledge is crucial for IT recruiters, as it establishes credibility with the hiring managers and the candidates.

3. Honing Soft Skills

While honing one’s tech skills is necessary, it goes without saying that tech recruiters should possess exceptional soft skills too. Having good communication and interpersonal abilities will help recruiters interact with hiring managers and candidates seamlessly. It will help them convey job opportunities to the candidates, answer queries and provide feedback on the hiring process.

Empathy and Emotional Intelligence are two important skills that tech recruiters should have along with having good communication and interpersonal skills. It will result in creating a positive candidate experience, even if the person is not getting selected for the role. It builds trust and reputation as a recruiter.

4. Promoting Diversity In Tech Recruitment

In a recent study by Glassdoor, it was found that 67% of candidates consider a diverse workforce as an essential factor when choosing their place to work.

Promoting Diversity and Inclusion is now a core part of organisational strategy globally. It is one of the crucial aspects of recruitment, and recruiters, or tech recruiters, need to be mindful of that. Make extra efforts to remove any unconscious biases during the hiring process and create equal opportunities for everyone, irrespective of their backgrounds.

Tech recruiters should work closely with the hiring managers to make sure that they are seeking out candidates from underrepresented groups and making them a part of the team. When diverse employees from different backgrounds, cultures, genders, and sexual orientations come together, they bring multiple ideas to the table. It ultimately leads to creativity and innovation and helps in faster problem-solving.

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5. Make Use of Social Media

In today’s digital age, social media platforms are a great tool for IT recruiters to source and hire new tech talent. Here are some ways they can make use of social media platforms:

Tech recruiters should work on creating their brand on social media, it will increase their presence, and build credibility with candidates and in the industry.
They should share valuable and meaningful content on social media that will showcase them as experts.
LinkedIn and other social media platforms are good platforms to showcase job opportunities and connect with candidates.
Tech recruiters should be a part of tech communities, which will help them identify candidates easily and stay updated.

The list doesn’t end here. While social media can be a great tool for tech recruitment, tech recruiters should know its pitfalls too.

6. Mastering The Art of Pitching The Company and Opening

To attract top talent, IT recruiters must master the art of selling the company and the job opening. To a prospective employee, they should be able to convey why the organisation will be the best place for them to work. They should be able to highlight how the company’s culture and values will create a supportive environment to help them grow and advance.

On the other hand, tech recruiters should be able to understand what motivated the candidate to apply for the job opening. It will help the IT recruiters tailor their interview approach. When recruiters can articulate the benefits of working in the organisation to prospective employees correctly, they attract the right fit for the role.

7. Hiring Success Through Data Driven Recruitment

In today’s data-driven world, data plays a big role, even in recruitment and hiring. Recruitment data can be analysed to optimise the hiring process, identify trends, improve recruitment strategies, and measure success.

Some of the key data points tech recruiters should track and analyse are: candidate conversion rates, time-to-fill, source of hire, etc. Additionally, they can also analyse employee turnover and retention data to understand whether there is any issue with any of the teams or the leadership of the respective teams.

Data-driven decisions lead to more effective hiring, data-backed decisions, which ensure the effectiveness of recruitment strategies.

8. Flexibility in Tech Recruitment

The tech industry is continuously evolving. Recruitment strategies must adapt accordingly to stay updated with new technologies, trends, and job roles emerging regularly. It helps them change strategies and tactics to align with current industry demands.

Being flexible and open to embracing and trying out new and innovative recruiting methods attracts the right candidate for the organisation. Some common new methods of recruiting include leveraging social media, attending tech conferences and events, conducting hackathons, hosting webinars, and gamifying the recruitment process.

Furthermore, by being flexible, tech recruiters can customise recruitment strategies based on different tech teams and current market trends.

9. Create a positive employee experience

The work of a tech recruiter should not just stop at interviewing or rejecting candidates or filling up a job opening. It goes beyond that! Nurturing and creating a positive experience for the candidates is crucial. It helps in building long-lasting bonds and creating a pool of candidates for future job openings.

To create a positive experience for a candidate, they can do the following:

Irrespective of getting selected or rejected, they should share constructive feedback with the candidates, which will help them professionally.
They should keep the candidates informed at all stages of the recruitment process and update them on the progress. If they are kept in the dark for a long time, they might lose interest.
Often, candidates are not an ideal fit for the current position; they should be nurtured for new positions and considered as part of the pipeline.

When candidates are treated with fairness and respect, they spread good word about the company to their networks, even when they are not selected. It creates employer branding and helps attract talent in the future.

10: Continuous Learning and Development Opportunities

In the ever-evolving tech industry, it is essential for a tech recruiter to stay updated with the latest trends in the industry. It is essential that they invest in their professional development and embrace a culture of ongoing learning.

Attending tech conferences and workshops will help them stay updated with the latest industry trends and strategies in recruitment. Not only this, but events like these are a great platform to build and extend networks. Pursuing certifications in HR and technology will demonstrate their knowledge and credibility and showcase their expertise as an IT recruiter.

Engaging in webinars and online courses and reading books and industry publications will help them learn about all aspects of recruiting and improve their knowledge and skills. Joining professional associations and groups, such as the National Association of Personnel Services (NAPS) or the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), can provide access to exclusive resources, webinars, conferences, and networking opportunities.

Lastly, but not least, they can seek mentorship and guidance for their professional growth.

Bonus Point: Balancing Human Touch with Automation

Gone are the days when a recruiter manually sources, shortlists, and skims through all the applications received for a job opening. The integration of AI into recruitment has automated and revolutionised most of the processes.

Automation and technology have reduced the time it takes to recruit and onboard a candidate into an organisation. Although it has brought effectiveness and efficiency to the recruitment process, the importance of human connection to the process should not be ignored.

The human element in the process helps candidates establish a bond and connect with the organisation easily. It is indispensable, creates an environment of empathetic communication and active listening, and adds irreplaceable value to the overall candidate’s experience.

To strike a balance between technology and human intervention in the recruitment process, IT recruiters can automate repetitive tasks, while on the other hand, they can add a personal touch when engaging with the candidates by doing it manually.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are offshore developers less skilled than local developers?

No, offshore developers are equally or can be more skilled than local developers. Their skills should be evaluated on an individual basis and not generalised.

How do I set effective communication with offshore developers?

In the beginning itself, set a proper communication channel, invest in tools, and schedule weekly meetings to ensure that everyone is on the same page.

Can I hire offshore developer only for short-term projects?

No offshore developers can be hired for both long-term and short-term projects based on business needs.

How do I select the right offshore development team?

To select the right offshore development team, consider factors such as their technical expertise, communication skills, cultural compatibility, and past project experience. Requesting and reviewing client testimonials and portfolio can also provide valuable insights.

When you sign up with Ellow, they do the heavy lifting of vetting the candidate while you focus on other important business needs.

Abhishek Ghosh

Experienced B2B Content Marketer, Writer, Editor, and Strategist. He is from an engineering background who now loves to play around with words. He is an SEO and a social media enthusiast.

Abhishek Ghosh

Experienced B2B Content Marketer, Writer, Editor, and Strategist. He is from an engineering background who now loves to play around with words. He is an SEO and a social media enthusiast.