Hard to Hire? Not Anymore. 

Here’s a startling statistic: according to the US Chamber of Commerce, if every American who doesn’t have a job right now accepted an offer today, there would still be 4.2M open positions.

That reality isn’t a surprise for any employer that’s been working to fill gaps in their workforce with qualified personnel. It’s always been hard to find the right talent but in technical positions, the challenge today is even greater. Information Week recently noted that – despite media coverage of widespread tech layoffs – there are plenty of tech jobs, from software architects to IT project managers to front-end developers. The problem? There just doesn’t seem to be enough people to fill them.

What are businesses facing? 

Getting it right

The right credentials, the right level of experience, the right personality – so many variables contribute to finding the perfect hire and a labor shortage compounds the difficulty. Plus, different projects can have very different needs so it’s hard to keep track of and keep up with.

Backfilling can be brutal

Too many open jobs and too few qualified personnel? For most companies, that means getting used to a constant cycle of backfilling roles for the simple truth that highly talented employees are highly sought after.

As they leave for greener pastures, it takes time to fill their jobs – IT positions take an average of 44 days, for instance – and work piles up with no one to make progress. But the cost is even higher: according to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the estimated amount to backfill an employee is “three to four times the position’s salary.” That’s unsustainable for most companies.

Technical people seek assurances

Recruiters are the first interaction – creating the first impression – of the company for any technical candidate. But recruiters don’t always have the sufficient background to answer technical questions posed by curious jobseekers. Consequently, it becomes a missed opportunity to spark excitement in a desirable candidate population. These talented people want to know they’re coming into an environment where they can thrive among likeminded professionals and that confidence building needs to start early.

So what can be done to staff up support quickly?

Talent sourcing, recruiting, interviewing, and hiring can be done in house. But keeping this critical work internal can be problematic – it pulls focus from business as usual, it takes time most teams don’t have, and it’s slow going. In contrast, an external staffing resource can provide welcome benefits almost immediately. These are three elements to consider.

Reaping real benefits

Imagine being fully staffed – not with just any employees, but the right ones. Smart staffing isn’t about filling seats and claiming a win. It’s about meeting the ultimate need: the staff a company requires to move the needle with their products, in the market, for shareholders. A staffing solution creates the headroom to deliver on hiring needs in a faster, more flexible, and cost-effective way.

And with 9.9 million open jobs in the US alone, and too few people to fill them, companies need every advantage possible to attract and retain the most qualified candidates quickly.