As more companies embrace the rise of technology and data mining, there aren’t enough qualified developers and analysts to go around. The BLS projected that the rate of employment for web developers will jump 15 percent by 2026. For analysts, job outlook varies on niche; on the high end, the rate of employment for information security analysts will rise 28 percent.
In other words, skilled developers and analysts are a hot commodity—and employers struggle to hire them and get them to stay.
A common theme across industries
Prior to joining PI, I had the pleasure of working at some amazing companies with some amazing clients. I saw firsthand a common theme: inability to hire and retain top developers and analysts.
As I thought more about the situation, I realized it was similar to my own previous experience working in the hospitality industry. There was always such high demand for bartenders that any time I walked into a restaurant and asked “Are you hiring?” the answer was always “Yes.”
As a bartender, if I wasn’t earning top dollar in the market or I didn’t love my manager or the company vision, I was moving on to the bar next door. Even the hope of making more money or having a slightly better experience was worth the move because there was no risk and no downside to leaving. Everyone was hiring, and I could get a job anywhere.
This must be how developers and analysts feel.
A CTO from a top insurance company once told me a story—one of his developers moved to the company next door because he was upset diet coke was no longer stocked in the fridge. This is the kind of thing execs have to deal with.
Hard, harder, unicorn status
It’s difficult to hire a great web developer; the more you demand out of that person, the harder it becomes.
- Hard: Hiring a developer who wants to work for you and who can write in the language you require.
- Harder: Hiring a developer who wants to work for you, who can write in the language you require, and who is ready for (and excited about) the creativity/speed of development that your business strategy requires.
- Unicorn status: Hiring a developer who wants to work for you, who can write in the language you require, who is ready for (and excited about) the creativity/speed of development that your business strategy requires, who fits with your culture, and who sticks around.
The same logic applies when it comes to hiring analysts.
- Hard: Hiring an analyst who wants to work for you and who can analyze all of the data.
- Harder: Hiring an analyst who wants to work for you, who can analyze all of the data, and who can interpret the data in a meaningful way to provide insights you can use.
- Unicorn status: Hiring an analyst who wants to work for you, who can analyze all of the data, who can interpret the data in a meaningful way to provide insights you can use, who fits with your culture, and who sticks around.
As a business owner or hiring manager, you might think you’ve found your unicorn. But unless you’ve added rigor to your hiring process through talent optimization and people data, you’re really just taking a shot in the dark.
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It’s time to get smart about the way we hire developers and analysts
In a market where there are more open jobs than job seekers, it’s easy to get frustrated with the lack of talent and the revolving door. My advice? You can get mad about it … or you can get smart about the way you hire and engage your employees.
So how can companies increase the probability of hiring developers and analysts who will be fit on multiple levels—then get them to stay?
Cook Systems International, has cracked the code on how to hire top developers and analysts that fit the company culture and stick around.
Sign up for our webinar on February 13 at 2:30 PM EST to learn how they did it!
