April 2022 - Langley James IT Recruitment

Onboarding IT Staff in 2022 – What You Need To Know

Apr 26, 2022 | Hiring Resources, IT, Tips

Onboarding IT staff correctly is one of the foundation building blocks in ensuring success when it comes to hiring. Often an area that is daily overlooked, it’s time that things changed! With the IT staff shortage reaching all areas of IT, businesses are starting to invest more in recruitment and retention. So don’t let your hiring process fall at the final hurdle. Our team share their top tips for onboarding IT staff in 2022.

But first, let’s share 2 key stats so that you can see why this is so important.

having a great onboarding programme can increase staff retention rates by as much as 82%
new starts who experience good onboarding are 18 times more committed to their employer

Here’s our Top 3 Tips for Onboarding IT Staff

Don’t wait until day 1

We’ve all been there. Working your notice period can be a lonely place to be. Plus, with the market being flooded with jobs as it is at the moment, it’s a vulnerable time for all. If you’ve secured a strong candidate, don’t then lose them for the sake of a few emails or calls. Keeping in touch with your new starter during their notice period is vital. Why not use this time to start to introduce them to their team? An email to make an introduction is enough, but you can take it further too. Arranging a virtual lunch with their teammates over Zoom or Team is a great way to make them feel involved before joining. Failing that, reach out to them on LinkedIn and ask their colleagues to do the same.

At Langley James, we pride ourselves on our exceptional levels of customer service. To both our clients and our candidates. That’s why, if you recruit with us, we will be in touch with your new hire each week during their notice period. This helps to alleviate any fears, answer any questions and to generally support them through their notice.

The art of storytelling when onboarding IT staff

It’s another hot topic in the employment market – employees like to join companies with shared values. And whilst their values will have felt aligned during the interview process, it’s important to share the story again when onboarding IT staff. You want your new hire to be professionally invested in your company. You want them to feel a sense of belonging and a sense of achievement. What purpose do you have as a company? Keep this at the forefront when designing your onboarding process. What exciting projects have you already been involved in, or, what do you have in the pipeline. Engaging your new hires with captivating stories about your company will make their first week an exciting one.

Set them up for success

Thinking that spending 10 minutes with your new hire on forms and formalities is enough is a mistake. It always takes time for a new hire to settle in. However, this has, in some cases, been further exacerbated by hybrid working. it can take longer for them to get into the team culture, establish a routine and understand new processes. Your role is to make their first few weeks as easy as possible. With lots of people spending so much time alone over the last couple of years, some may not have the confidence they used to. Make sure that they know where to turn if they have a problem. Let them know about lunch arrangements and even arrange for them to have a lunch buddy for the first week. Whilst this may not be necessary for more senior hires, it will certainly make a difference for more junior and mid-level roles.

About Langley James

We live and breathe everything IT. We know that market and know what it takes to attract the very best IT talent. Why not work with us on your next IT vacancy and experience the difference of working with a specialist who really does know the market. Get in touch with our expert recruiters today and let’s help you to recruit someone worth recruiting.

UK Report on Jobs – March 2022

Apr 13, 2022 | IT, IT Market Reviews

3 Tips to Attract IT Talent in 2022

Apr 3, 2022 | Hiring Resources, Tips

To attract IT talent is becoming harder. With current vacancies in the UK at record levels – 62.5% higher than pre-pandemic – the power is firmly in the hands of the candidates. Coupled with a general supply of candidates, it’s the perfect storm! However, there is some great IT talent out there, it’s just a case of attracting them to your role.

Our team share their top tips to help you to attract IT talent in 2022.

What’s your elevator pitch to attract IT talent?

People are no longer looking for a job. They are looking for a sense of purpose and something that resonates with their own personal values. Therefore, simply writing a job spec that’s a list of requirements simply won’t cut it in today’s jobs market. It’s a medically proven fact that our happiness depends on many things in life, but one in particular is alignment. What we do has to align with our values to make us truly happy in our work. Now, you don’t have to be saving the world, one mouse click at a time! But what values does your company represent? It’s critical to understand what your ‘target market’ are looking for and what appeals to them. With candidates still feeling some trepidation when it comes to moving jobs, you need to give them a reason to move.

Know your market

Are you going to market with the same job, same salary, same location as you were 2 years ago? Times have changed and if you haven’t kept up, then it’s likely you’ll be disappointed when it comes to hiring. Unless you are really able to offer something truly attractive; like the latest technology, flexible working, career development etc. it’s unlikely that you’ll attract IT talent at the level you need to. So, unless your IT role isn’t urgent, we strongly advice that you research the market, or ask an experienced recruiter for their insight. We understand that it’s not always possible to simply offer a higher salary. Although, you always need to know how far off the mark you are. So instead, you may have to drop some of the requirements from the essential list. Speak to our team today to get all the insight you need.

Is your recruitment process right to attract IT talent?

A drawn-out recruitment process is a problem. It’s as simple as that! In a market that is saturated with jobs, time is of the essence if you want to attract the best. There’s a popular phrase in the sales world – ‘time kills all deals’ and the same is true when it comes to recruitment. If your process is longer than 2 weeks, then it’s too long! Candidates will go elsewhere, and it will take you a lot longer to complete the process – sometimes over 3 months! So take a look at your process and decide if it’s still fit for purpose. Work with a recruiter that can work within your timescales, and you’ll soon have that IT role filled.