MightyRecruiterIT Hiring and the Growing Demand: How to Compete for Top Talent Post-recession
Geeks rule the world, and being a nerd is no longer nerdy. Geek is chic. Talented technology gurus hold a well-deserved scepter and can sometimes command salaries that could buy the king’s jewels. Those who suffered through years of collegiate coding misery are rewarded by a marketplace that hasn’t always been kind to job-seekers but has been open to those who have aligned their technological skill sets with the needs of employers. For these individuals, changes in market climate have not affected IT hiring and the growing demand for their services. However, changes in how jobs are titled can make it difficult for employers to determine which individuals meet their job description requirements.
The Broad Spectrum of IT Jobs
General statistics on IT hiring may seem a bit misleading, as information technology encompasses a sweeping scale of job titles. Data collected on IT jobs may not separately identify information related to IT hiring and the growing demand for a particular sector. Compared to the well-compensated chief information officers (CIOs), a help-desk staffer isn’t necessarily struggling to eat but will come equipped with a substantially different skill set and salary. From software developers to systems analysts, both employers and prospective employees can be buried in the avalanche of old and familiar titles mixed with those that are shiny and new. This is in part because of the fact that IT titles change to be more closely aligned to new inventions. Determining if a prospective worker will meet the company’s needs may require deeper analysis of job description versus job title.
If you’re looking for an individual to regularly maintain a task at an organization, candidates of varying job titles may fit the bill. Your candidates may even be unaware of the positions for which they qualify within your organization. A network engineer may have the skills and training to perform the tasks listed on a job posting for a network administrator. Knowing the requisite skills for each position can keep a company competitive in the realm of IT hiring and the growing demand for professionals with knowledge of specific tasks.
Minor Difference, Major Impact
Much to the chagrin of anyone who is tasked with reviewing a resume, titles are often used interchangeably. This adds unnecessary complications to IT hiring, and the growing demand for clarity in naming job functions becomes more apparent. Business analysts are commonly referred to as data analysts, despite some differences in their skill sets. Within the realm of a smaller organization, the differences may be immaterial, but in a larger company, it may make a difference. This is particularly important for roles that have distinct and particular tasks that are required for the job function.
To illustrate this distinction, consider the job of a data analyst versus that of a business analyst in a large firm. A business analyst, for example, is a member of a company’s think tank. This person is charged with identifying business issues, trends, shortfalls and strengths. Armed with that information, he or she forges boldly ahead, discovering solutions. A data analyst is also charged with identifying the shortfalls and strengths of an organization. However, a data analyst’s function may involve utilizing data-mining methods so that automated algorithms identify an organization’s current path and prospective direction.
Pursuant to a company’s procedure for IT hiring and the growing demand for analysts in an appropriately sized organization, these two employees could even be in two different departments. Additionally, a business analyst could expound on his or her current training and experience to attain the additional skill set required for a data analyst. To further complicate things, there are likely business analysts identifying themselves as data analysts, and vice versa. Smaller organizations may even use one employee for both roles.
Depending on what kind of employee you are looking for, a minor change in job title could create an impactful deviation from your company’s plan. So what can be done to help you know what you’re looking at
What Can You Do to Clarify Your Search
Pay particular attention to the job roles listed on a resume. A candidate may have inappropriately titled themselves. Research general IT job titles like ïsoftware developer,ï ïnetwork engineer,ï etc. to have a working knowledge of the skill sets generally associated with specific titles. This will also help you in your analysis as you are reviewing a prospective candidate’s listed job roles. It’s important to research the type of employee that will fit best within your organization. To help you find and place that next all-star hire, use the resources provided here in the Mighty Recruiter.