Finding qualified software developers has become one of the most demanding challenges in today's business world. At a time when digital transformation and technological advancements dominate, the lack of talented IT professionals is an ever-growing hurdle for organisations. In this professional article, we will dive deeper into the world of software developer recruitment, present best practices for successful candidate acquisition and cite real-life examples from the IT world to back up our expertise.
The ongoing challenge: the search for software developers
The IT industry is experiencing steady growth and the demand for highly skilled software developers far outstrips the supply. According to Stack Overflow's industry report, 85% of the companies surveyed stated that they are struggling to recruit software developers. Competition for the best talent is intense, and organisations need to use innovative approaches to stand out from the competition.
Strategies for the effective recruitment of software developers
1. targeted employer branding
Employer branding plays a crucial role in attracting software developers. According to a survey by Glassdoor, 69% of applicants say they look closely at a company's reputation as an employer before applying. One real-world example is GitHub, which is not only known as a code hosting platform, but is also recognised for its open source initiatives and developer community.
2. active use of developer communities
Membership of relevant developer communities can be an important resource for candidate recruitment. Platforms such as GitHub, Stack Overflow and Dev.to offer opportunities to connect with talented developers while demonstrating expertise. One example of this is GitLab, which actively participates in open source projects to attract developer interest.
3. establishment of an effective tech assessment strategy
Effective tech assessments are essential to objectively evaluate candidates' skills. According to a study by HackerRank, 82% of organisations consider technical assessments to be a critical component of the selection process. One real-world example is Atlassian, which uses coding challenges to test candidates' technical skills.
Examples from the IT world / software developers
Example 1: GitHub's developer community
GitHub has built a vibrant software developer community that goes far beyond hosting code. They promote open source and enable developers to get involved in various projects. This strong community has helped establish GitHub as an attractive employer for developers.
Example 2: GitLab's open source participation
GitLab is not only known for its DevOps tools, but also for its commitment to the open source community. This has led to GitLab being recognised by software developers as a company that not only develops products, but also helps to strengthen the development community.
Example 3: Atlassian's Coding Challenges
Atlassian uses coding challenges to assess the technical skills of applicants. This enables the company to test candidates' skills in real-life scenarios while ensuring a fair and objective assessment.
Statistics and facts
According to a survey by Harvey Nash and KPMG, 65% of IT leaders consider the lack of talent to be the biggest obstacle to realising their business strategy.
According to CodinGame's Global Developer Hiring Landscape 2021, 68% of the companies surveyed stated that it takes them longer than one month to fill an open developer position.
As experts in IT recruitment at indivHR, we know how challenging it can be to find and attract highly skilled software developers. If you are looking for innovative strategies to attract the best talent in the IT industry, we invite you to book a free initial consultation. Together we can develop the right solutions to take your candidate acquisition to the next level.
