Hunt the developer

The IT recruitment process is one of the most difficult areas that executive search consultants have to manage. The reason is very simple – IT industry dynamic growth is the most important one. It is disproportionate to the number of educated and competent people on the job market. The developers independently of technology they use, can fuss about job offers. Their popularity might be the reason of considerable losing motivation to change job.

So how to deal with poorly motivated employees and make the IT recruitment becoming easier? How to keep the most valuable employees in the company?

Without a doubt, we should ask the most interested employees, what factors motivate them to change their job or stay in their current one? There are many comments in forums and blogs about new technologies, often conducted by the most interested ones. We have discovered some regularities – the most mentioned aspects, which may be the reasons of work motivation level or decision of staying/leaving the current job.

EQUIPMENT – it is really interesting how lack of new equipment in the company, little RAM or poor graphics card can influence performance of an average developer. Perhaps it is a detail, but it can cause a totally decrease of employee morale. From the other hand, an additional monitor given, can cause a smile and a strong will to work.

REMOTE WORK – if there is a possibility to work at home, at least a few times a week, we can be sure that there will be more interested potential candidates for these job offers. The developers value work not only at their four walls but also when they use own equipment.

ATMOSPHERE – it was said a lot about it. As there are not many developers, so they can attach conditions. They are motivated by corporate/non corporate form of business, according to candidate’s personality and preferences. Independently of the preferences, work, flexible hours or the possibility to stay in your own slippers are the key factors that allow us to make a decision on working in a certain company. Some people do not want to be an ant in a big machine. They want to have a big influence over the way a product is designed and they prefer working individually. Some people prefer seeing the results in their team work.

INDEPENDENCE – in many cases, the developers are motivated when they have the influence in the final version of the product. They have an opportunity to choose the tools etc. Not all solutions might be appropriate, but lack of communication in a team and depriving the developers of making decisions, often become a flashpoint between the employer and employee.

PROJECTS – when they are interesting and developing, they motivate. When the project relies on maintaining the application and it does not give any challenges, it might be the crucial reason for changing job.

It is good to be aware that the process of selecting candidates, especially IT recruitment requires from the employer some considerations. Weather the candidate will find himself in the company, whether the atmosphere is good and whether his way of working corresponds to work in the company. Thanks to that both employer and potential employees can avoid any disappointment.