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Attract and Retain IT Personnel

Finding and retaining IT personnel can be challenging. Tech companies are the new black, and everyone is always on the lookout for the next big thing. The tech industry is constantly changing, meaning you not only need an employee who is competent and has the right skills for the job, but you also need someone adaptable. On top of a very specific skill set, you’re searching for the right fit for your team. Often, after a long but successful search, your IT personnel up and leave as they get a better offer. Now you are back at square one. If you’re not in Silicon Valley you may feel as though the best talents are passing you by, so how can you make your company more attractive to IT personnel, and furthermore, how can you keep them interested? Read on to learn what attracts and retains talent in tech.

First and foremost, technology professionals care about technology

The majority of people who choose technology as a profession, do so because they love it. IT professionals are passionate about their work and they are looking for ways to advance technology usage and types. Passion results in high levels of knowledge and curious minds that never stop researching. For this reason, IT personnel want to know what they will be working with, and how the company will react to new technologies and software as they are developed. By having a detailed technology roadmap in place you can entice IT personnel to take an interest in your business. A roadmap that is up-to-date, data-driven and forward-facing is what will catch the eye of professionals. If your software is behind the times you would benefit from planning to modernise your data. Outdated technology is difficult to upgrade and unable to meet modern day standards. If you are running an old version of .NET or Java, for example, you are unlikely to attract the IT professionals of the future. There is nothing more unattractive than a tech company plagued by inertia. By modernising your data and having a solid roadmap in place you can show the tech community that you are heading in the right direction. It isn’t too late, but if you don’t make the move soon, it may be. Aside from general enquiries, IT professionals may come to interviews with specific questions, and the more specific you can be when answering the more they will know you care about technology too.

Who is interviewing who?

IT personnel face no shortage of job opportunities. When interviewing someone for a tech position in your company, you may see the tables turn and find yourself on the receiving end. Preparing answers to the questions interviewees are likely to ask will give them faith in you and your business. Here are a few questions that an experience IT professional may throw your way:

• What’s your current tech stack?
• What are your policies on updating and using current and modern technologies?
• How do you keep your technology updated?
• How do you release new versions?
• How do you adopt new versions?
• How do you test new possibilities?

Be specific. Ensure you have someone knowledgeable on the panel who can answer these questions with confidence. Having the CTO available to outline the roadmap and dive deep into the softwares used, may win over the candidate. In addition, by letting it be known which softwares and programs you use, you may attract more tech talents who like working with that particular technology.

Catching it and keeping it are two different things.

So having an up-to-date roadmap and modernised data is a way of attracting tech talent into your business, but how do you hold on to them with the ever-present threat of tech giants peeking over your shoulders?

IT professionals are some of the most innovative minds of our times. They like to stay stimulated and they like to move forward. If you want to retain IT personnel, you have to make sure they are being rewarded with more than just a good salary. Empower your employees by embracing a learning environment: invest in education and hands-on training opportunities. Give employees the option of focussing on what interests them and play to their strengths. If an employee is keen to study machine learning, find out if there is room for machine learning in your business and implement it. This way not only are you supporting the growth of your employee but you will likely benefit from what they learn. In addition, consider including your IT personnel in the development or revision of your technology roadmap. Put them on the team and incorporate their insights, allowing them to see that their inputs are valued. Professionals are more likely to stay on a project where they feel they have some ownership. Professionals who are new to your team are also likely to have an idea of what competitors are doing, which is important to know. Using tools such as Tech Radar provides insight into which technology the community is currently excited about and what is on its way out.

We can forecast, but we’re not fortune tellers!

It is true that technology can be unpredictable. There are plenty of examples in recent history where hindsight has taught us a thing or two. Remember when Blockbuster laughed in Netflix’s face at the suggestion of buying them out? Um, does anyone even remember Blockbuster at all? We rest our case: technology can be tricky. There is always a gamble in the future of tech, and not every business is going to get it right. There are entire organisations that can crash simply because of a new technology that disrupted the industry and made certain products or services obsolete. The important thing is to always be prepared as you can be, be agile and flexible. Value the input of your IT professionals and be willing to consider all options. Don’t walk among the dinosaurs, soar among the stars.

Need a technology professional, but don’t work in a technology company? We have news for you.

Technology companies are no longer restricted to technology companies. What? Let us explain. Just because your company is not categorised as being in the technology industry does not mean you are exempt from needing a technological roadmap and structured tech activities. In this day and age, technology is integral to everything we do. The agriculture industry utilises IoT devices and drones undertaking recognition via GPS; the energy industry provides homes with smart meters showing real-time measurements; even the CEO of General Motors referred to GM as a software company for cars back in 2013. If you need to hire an IT professional, you need to consider yourself a technology company.

Know your target.

In conclusion, to attract and retain IT personnel, you need to know what they want. You must understand their desire for advanced technology, a culture of agility, and a learning environment, and then you must implement it. Make your company a place where people can grow so they don’t feel the urge to find growth elsewhere.

DNX has the solutions and experience you need. Contact us today for a blueprint of your journey towards data security.