The Recruiting Toolbox to Find Top IT Talent
Modern tools recruiters can leverage to source the right candidates.
There was a time when recruiting IT talent meant simply posting an opening on Monster or CareerBuilder and waiting for resumes to pour in to sift through. As the IT landscape evolved, so did recruiting strategies. Hiring managers learned that old techniques were no longer applicable to finding the right candidates. Now, there are different tools recruiters can leverage during the hiring process.
The Shifting Role of Job Boards
Today, job boards remain a staple in the recruiter's toolkit, but their role has changed significantly. They now account for about 37% of all hires, and interestingly, candidates who apply directly on a company's website are four times more likely to be hired than those who come in through a job board listing.
However, this doesn't mean job boards have lost their value. Many recruiters have adjusted their approach; instead of just posting a position, they use built-in candidate databases to source talent. Moreover, niche boards have become a common platform recruiters use to target specific skill sets and industries.
Social Media Increases Visibility
Over the years, social media has become a popular recruiting method: 84% of employers now use it to support hiring efforts. Companies have found that LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter help showcase culture, celebrate wins, and attract candidates.
While social media is excellent for brand building and candidate engagement, it generates a smaller share of actual hires than job boards. Still, its influence shouldn't be underestimated. 80% of companies believe social media helps them find highly targeted candidates, and more than half of hiring managers report identifying their best-fit applicants this way.
Strategic Partnerships with Staffing Agencies
Given the competitive IT market, many companies utilize third-party recruiting partners. About 40% of companies say staffing agencies are their primary channels for finding new talent. When these partnerships work well, they provide a connection to quality talent that a company might not normally consider. Even better, utilizing staffing agencies to source talent frees up time for recruiters to focus on other aspects of the hiring process.
Smarter, Integrated Recruiting
Soon, recruiting will be considered a strategic component to support objectives. Korn Ferry reports that about 31% of companies expect talent acquisition to align more closely with goals in the next five years, and a similar percentage see it becoming more data-driven and holistic.
What does this mean for recruiting IT talent? It means a shift toward a holistic system that connects sourcing, hiring, onboarding, and employee development to fuel business growth.
While there is no perfect recruiting strategy, job boards, social media, and staffing agencies each contribute to a balanced approach. Companies that provide a seamless candidate experience, clear employer branding, and strong recruiting partnerships are best positioned to stand out and attract IT professionals to stay ahead in an ever-evolving tech landscape.
Read more about IT hiring challenges and download our eBook, Analyzing the Top IT Hiring Challenges.
