Why is it so difficult to hire software developers?

Top of the funnel - talent shortage

If companies need to start hiring like marketeers then taking that analogy it’s a niche market you’re trying to attract. Your lead generation, top of the funnel, is going to be much more constrained than other industries, particularly if you’re looking for niche techs or more senior roles.

It’s a well-known fact that the tech industry is growing. Year after year the demand for top techies increases and the ability to fill those roles becomes more of an issue. A survey revealed that 86% of hiring managers and technical recruiters feel that it’s a challenge to both find and hire software engineers. So, are there too few engineers, or is it their lack of skills that make these roles hard to fill? Why is it difficult to hire software developers?

With the development of software comes the requirement for new, unique skills, which not all tech professionals possess. These skills can’t be acquired overnight, however, if you do find a techie who matches your desired skills and experience level then there’s no doubt that they will be in high demand. It’s important to react quickly.

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Employer competition

The tech industry is rife with thousands of companies, all of which offer different employee benefits, perks, salaries, job roles - no two are going to be exactly the same. This is why it’s a common occurrence that techies will turn down a role as they’ve been offered a better opportunity elsewhere - and who can blame them. So, what can you do to attract top tech talent and then importantly, retain them? Most of the time it comes down to company culture and employee benefits, for example, the most popular benefits include the ability to work remotely (as in recent times this has become more favoured) and the chance to maintain a work-life balance. The majority of developers are employed and not actively seeking a new role. However, techies are curious about new opportunities - which is where they browse platforms like Haystack for the discovery of roles and companies.

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Let’s talk money...

How much are software developers worth? In any industry, it’s normal for people to be conscious of their salary and compare their salaries to that of their peers. This adds to the competition when it comes to hiring. Many companies tend to offer a higher salary in the hope to beat the competition. It might sound like a great idea to advertise a role with a ‘competitive salary’ but in hindsight, we know that this is a red flag to candidates - they much prefer to see a fixed salary or salary range, which could be more beneficial and as a result make you stand out from the crowd! Opportunities that state a salary are far more likely to receive applications but most importantly from the right people.

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Company culture

Not everyone will like your company. The truth hurts - but would you want someone to work at your business if they didn’t feel comfortable? TechRepublic reported that when evaluating a job, developers prioritise opportunities that offer internal growth and development (39%) and a culture that fits their personality (38%). Showcase the business’s personality and in return, you’ll attract the right people and be able to retain them. This can be done through social media, your careers page, your brand ambassadors - it won’t happen overnight, but it’s important to evolve your tech employer brand in order to stand out from the crowd.

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Time-consuming interviews

The hiring process takes time, skills, patience and of course money to be able to find the ideal software engineer. The interviewing process is almost always relatively longer when compared to other roles, as there is the addition of a technical interview. So not only does it take longer but it can cost more too. We recently caught up with Michael, a senior software engineer about his experience with interviewing at companies and his advice for employers was:

To summarise in three words, my opinion is “keep it relevant”. Looking at it from the side of a business who is recruiting, I think it important to make sure you’re testing candidates on the skills which are relevant to the role. Although this sounds like an obvious one, there are still many companies who have technical assessments which aren’t a true reflection of the day-to-day work that candidates will be doing.

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When it comes to hiring, put yourself in the position of the techies - what would you expect from a company if you were looking for a new role? The tech recruitment market is a competitive landscape, it can be difficult to hire software developers, particularly if they have a niche tech stack. But always ensure you put the techies at the forefront of your marketing, when it comes to roles. Talk to them where they want to be spoken to, don't bombard them with spam. Haystack is a careers and insights marketplace, designed by techies for techies.

‍Find out more about how you can meet your hiring needs with Haystack.