For the past decade, engineering jobs have been some of the hardest positions to fill. In some fields, the problem is quantity. With engineering, it is about quality. There is a notable talent shortage. While there may be many applicants for open engineering jobs, often the applicants just don’t have the right experience or skills. In a competitive job market, the companies with the best hiring and retention programs will be the ones who come out on top. Here are some tips on how to win the best talent in a talent shortage.
Hire for Careers, Not for Roles
When there is a talent shortage, you have to think about potential. Down the road, your best employees can be the ones you mentor and train now. You don’t necessarily need talent who have held similar positions, you need employees who can learn fast and adapt. If they’re a good fit for the company, you can onboard them successfully and train them for the specifics of the role. Then, the experience gap won’t matter so much. If you can’t find candidates with the exact set of skills you need, use your leadership to train new employees to bring them up to where they need to be.
Identify What Employees Want
During a talent shortage, keeping employees can be just as hard as finding new ones. The main reason is that great employees have many options when it comes to employment. If they aren’t happy at your company for whatever reason, they aren’t going to stick around. You have to actively collect data on what employees and job hunters are looking for by asking for feedback. You need to make new employees feel welcomed, valued, and comfortable.
Invest in Education
Another issue is that fewer college-aged people are seeking degrees in computer science and software engineering even though the demand for these jobs remains high. Yet, there are a still many people who consider themselves engineers or want to be a part of the engineering field. Providing education incentives, such as tuition assistance for new employees can make up for this education gap.
Despite being an industry with high demand and a lot of interest, there is still a major talent gap, and it is likely to continue. Not everyone who walks through your doors is going to have ten years of engineering experience. Working with a recruiter can help you access those candidates who are already employed and succeeding in the industry. To win talent you also have to be proactive in creating a workforce for the future by investing in training, career development, and education.
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