According to the Career website Monster.com, the IT shortage may be at its highest level since 2008. IT outsourcer Harvey Nash and auditing firm KPMG surveyed over 3,000 technology leaders for their annual CIO survey and found that over 60 percent of respondents said hiring challenges and talent shortages are negatively impacting the industry.

The tech talent gap stems from a shortage of people who know how to code, from back-end mobile app development to cloud-computing platforms. Additionally the war for talent within disruptive technologies such as robots is growing. Last June, Uber poached 40 researchers and scientists from the robotics department at Carnegie Mellon University to help with the development of driverless cars, according to CIO. This type of poaching does not stop at research scientist, it happens with Full Stack developers, iOS programmers and other tech skill sets.

With over half of CIOs expecting to experience IT talent shortages over the next year, it’s critical to find ways to keep pace with the industry. The future of disruptive technology is upon us and successful organizations will figure out how to handle these challenges now. However, that depends on finding highly qualified talent.

Disruption is the New Normal

Technological development is moving at an unprecedented pace and is driving IT today. Disruption has become the norm, so it’s now all about how fast companies can innovate, Bob Miano said in a recent CIO Insight post. From data science and cyber security to industrial networking, mobile app development and network programming, companies are implementing a wide range of cutting edge technologies that require the right talent to drive forward.

Thinking Outside the Box with IT Staffing

CIOs are starting to think more creatively when it comes to talent acquisition, recruiting and the hiring process. In a recent interview, Harvey Nash Group CEO Albert Ellis said that CIOs used to set IT strategies before developing a resourcing plan, but now that’s all changed.

“Certain skills are in such demand IT executives are facing up to the reality there’s no point in having the right technology platform if you don’t have the right people to build and support it,” said Ellis in a CIO interview.

Leveraging Disruptive Technology Groups

Nearly half of IT leaders plan on bringing on new team members with the skills they need in the next year, but it will not be easy. Young prospects and top talent are particularly interested in disruptive technology groups. The smartest companies will use these new development groups to incentivize and attract top talent.

Corporate Branding as a Recruiting Strategy

Top candidates may be looking at half a dozen competitor companies at any given time, while passive candidates may already be working at top organizations. Some studies have revealed that employer brand is actually more likely to drive job consideration than what a company actually does.

The bottom line? IT workers have more opportunities than ever before, so companies must do what they can to stand out when it comes to branding.

It’s critical that companies improve the way they are representing themselves to prospects and potential employees. This means improving social media communication and finding ways to demonstrate why it’s great work at a given organization. Moreover, each company needs to effectively communicate what its corporate culture is about. Candidates aren’t only armed with options, they’re armed with information, which may now be more powerful in the end. An organization’s best defense is to put its best foot forward by clearly communicating its brand to prospects.

Creating Internal Education and Growth Opportunities

Why waste money and resources continually searching for new talent when you could be looking within to find and train talent? You may already have the talent you’re searching for within your organization. One of the most effective ways to ensure you are properly staffed in the midst of of the IT talent shortage is to invest in an internal training program.

With demand for talent at an all time high, companies can greatly benefit from investing in their own people and internal skill development. In the end, the costs are far less than the combined cost of hunting for new talent with competitive market salaries. This is especially true for highly specialized positions. Oftentimes, we see a need for a very specific role. In cases like these, the best option is oftentimes to train from within.

Technology Skill Shortages

Within the IT shortage, there are specific skills that are in particularly high demand right now. According to the Harvey Nash survey, around 60 percent of respondents reported skill shortages. However, this is nothing new. Within the past 12 years, there have only been three where less than half of IT leaders reported skill shortages.

Above all, Big Data/Analytics is the most in demand, cited by 42 percent of respondents. However, the fasted growing skill is enterprise architecture, up 26 percent from last year. Another area experiencing a significant shortage is Business Analysis, which is most in demand by smaller employers.

In Need of Top IT Talent in the Houston Area?

If your company is in need of IT talent, ranging from custom software development and business process mobilization to environmental health and safety software to healthcare IT, our recruiters can help.

With our strong background in IT staffing, we can find the right IT professionals to staff your projects, become full time members of your team or long-term hires. If you’re in need to top talent that solves business problems, contact us today.