Looking at job posts, it may seem that IT recruitment is all about tempting candidates with perks and benefits. More and more employers willing to find IT people look for the best possible methods to get them. This shouldn’t surprise us, as IT specialists are one of the categories in the highest demand on the market. But is offering more and more sophisticated perks the best way to draw the programmers’ attention? Is multiplying them always a good option? And what factors and methods work even better within the demanding recruitment of developers process? Let’s look at the issue of perks and benefits for IT professionals more carefully.
IT recruitment: some examples of perks
Perks and benefits for IT professionals is an endless theme, as are their examples. Some of them include company sports events, gym cards, chillout zones, life insurance, and private medical care. But it’s just the beginning of the list. Very often, they are accompanied by flexible working hours and remote jobs, relocation assistance, free parking, sometimes also childcare. What’s more in store for IT specialists? Free foreign language lessons, free meals, additional screen, tuition reimbursement, and access to the newest technologies are popular, too. In some cases, they also mean discounts on company products and even stock options.
The growing number of perks is often difficult to embrace and comprehend. We may, of course, try to classify them one way or another. For instance, some groups relate to health, education, supporting employees as parents, or are just various freebies. But certain perks may be quite astonishing, too. There are employers, for example, who buy personal assistant’s services for busy IT people, helping them in private issues. Some of them include administration or post office visits, standing in queues, and other annoying and time-consuming everyday activities.
Of course, it all applies to various positions across the IT world. Some of them include Web, SQL, Java or Python developers, DevOps engineers, SAP architects, and various testers. Or, as we may read in some job posts, evangelists, rockstars, gurus, ninjas, overlords, etc. Original, or simply awkward, job titles are one of the other ways of attracting potential candidates within IT recruitment.
Very often, the list of perks has a graphic presentation and takes the majority of the job ad space. To allow this, the company benefits’ budget must be equally impressive. This surely reflects the employers’ belief that this investment will certainly pay off. But canthey be sure of that?
IT recruitment: what’s the most tempting for developers
Well, it turns out that there are some factors that IT professionals may find even more valuable than perks. The results of the 2019 Global Brand Health Report published at Hired.com indicate some very interesting conclusions. Within the research, over 3,600 tech knowledge workers were surveyed, showing what motivates candidates best to accept job offers. These remarks may be priceless for companies fighting for the most talented IT people.
It comes as no surprise that the base salary was the major factor for most (53%) of tech workers. Interestingly, only about half of that (26%) said “benefits beyond salary“ are the most important in accepting an offer. Moreover, there are two other factors more crucial than perks for them. One of them is the opportunity to learn new skills, most important for 39% of tech workers. Another factor that is more significant than benefits, is company culture, indicated by as much as 42% of respondents.
Apart from this survey, what candidates may especially appreciate is a kind of openness to their personalities and preferences. This may embrace letting employees decide whether they work remotely or at the office, independently or as team members. Enabling work-life balance, e.g. offering chillout zones, sports classes, healthy food deliveries is often a big plus. Just like high-quality equipment, and interesting projects.
As we can see, perks and benefits do not always work. At least not the way employers would like them to. IT professionals may get overwhelmed with them, and often become used to receiving awesome proposals in terms of perks. Perhaps it’s better for companies to focus on Employer Branding instead. And invest in actions that put businesses in the best light possible. And the image of a good employer who respects and cares for all of its people is truly invaluable.
Recruitment of developers: Sowelo’s experience matters
Unfortunately, what does and what doesn’t work within the recruitment of developers is not a piece of common knowledge. Employers often use trial and error methods, adapting those perks that they only think will be attractive for programmers. But is the extremely competitive IT job market the place for such tests and hectic actions? Certainly, not.
It’s way better to save time and money, choosing the right recruitment agency. One that specializes in the recruitment of best programmers and other IT professionals. And hires consultants who know how to distinguish them on one side and attract on the other. Just like Sowelo Consulting agency.
Based on 13 years of experience, and over 1,200 delivered projects they know everything about the IT recruitment market. Headquartered in Cracow, Poland, they hire IT specialists to work across Europe, and the whole world alike. They know what perks, and even what words, use to catch the attention of particular groups of IT people. They are well aware of cultural diversity, and global changes that affect societies and the job market almost everywhere.
There are many reasons why you may need the help of a goodIT recruitment agency, like Sowelo Consulting. Some of them are headhunting, Executive Search, Interim Recruitment, or Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) and Employer Branding. Doing so, you get a provider of all the mentioned top-notch services, taking advantage of the recruitment cost reduction.
Of course, in the case of all these services the candidates’ motivation is very important. Employers should simply know the reasons for particular professional choices of IT people if they want to attract them. As for Sowelo, their experienced consultants have proven ways for that. But this is a secret they only share with their clients. Because the knowledgetheyhaveissimplypriceless.