Mar 4, 2022 | IT, Tips
The remote interview is here to stay! Despite final restrictions now being lifted, remote interviews are still the first choice for hiring managers and candidates. Not only does it give more flexibility to the candidates, but it also allows you to screen faster and in a more structured way. With the current IT skill shortage, reducing your time to hire can make a big difference when it comes to securing the best IT talent.
So how do you make sure that your remote interview structure is geared for success? Here’s our guide –
Make sure your remote interview has structure
Just as you would in a face-to-face interview, it’s important to have a structure for your remote interview. The advantage of a remote interview is that you can have an out of sight prompt to assist. Decide what’s important and what you would like to discover from each interview stage. Creating a defined structure will not only ensure that you stay on track. It will also help you communicate the process with your recruiter prior to the interview. We’ve created guides on effective interviews before and some of those tips do still apply. However, when it comes to a remote interview, there are some additional things to consider.
It’s all about communication
It’s not just the interview where communication is key. It all starts beforehand. When arranging remote interviews, it’s important to communicate what to expect. You need to share some key information with your recruiter to make sure that the candidate is prepared.
- Who will be in the interview? Will it be a team interview or individual 1-2-1`s?
- What will the candidate need to prepare? What tech will you be using? Are there any tasks to complete?
- Will you be expecting a screen share?
Making sure that the candidate is prepared in advance will allow them to showcase their skills to the best of their ability. Your recruiter should be asking you these questions as a matter of cause.
Be flexible when arranging a remote interview
When arranging remote interviews, it’s important to still be flexible. There are lots of people still working from home. But, whilst that may make you think that they are more freely available, this isn’t always the case. Companies have implemented new remote working practices and monitoring. It’s important to be mindful of this when arranging interviews. However, regardless of this, there’s no doubt that remote interviews are the quickest way to secure the best IT talent.
Test your tech
You’ve no doubt seen this discussed for candidates, but the same applies for companies – probably even more so – and especially in IT! You may be an expert at Zoom or Teams meetings now but testing that everything works before the interview is still good practice. Make sure you are in a quiet area with no interruptions. Check your battery if you are not plugged in. Simple checks can save lots of embarrassment.
Dealing with issues during the remote interview
We’ve probably all been there. We are in a virtual meeting and something really important is being said. And that’s when the connection drops out. But how do you deal with this in an interview? Whilst your connection may be working fine, sometimes you’ll be in a situation where the candidates’ connection is poor. This can be a stressful situation. Not only is the candidate nervous and trying to perform the best – they don’t want to have tech issues to deal with too. If connections are poor, then don’t waste too much time. Suggest that the interview is rescheduled for later in the day. Maybe the candidate can arrange to be somewhere with better connection?
The next steps
If you have stuck to the structured plan for each interview, then you should be able to score the candidates fairly. Identify which areas are more weighted than others. How did each candidate perform? This will help you create a shortlist for a hiring decision or a final interview. But what can you do on the second stage if it’s still a remote interview? Why not assign a task? Something that fits with a key competency for the role. Or maybe even a live task – something they will be required to do if successful.
How Langley James can help
We have been helping companies to recruit the very best IT talent for over 20 years. During this time, we have learnt lots of tips that we can share with you when it comes to interviews, attraction methods and more. If you want to work with a recruiter who really knows their market and can help you recruit someone worth recruiting, get in touch with our team today.
Feb 21, 2022 | Hiring Resources, IT, Tips
IT talent has always been in high demand, but no more so than right now! We are now at the point where many companies are chasing the same scarce talent. Therefore, we are seeing double-digit pay increases in some areas of IT. But where does it end? And what about the companies that are unable to pay inflated salaries? What happens to them?
We’ve researched the current IT jobs market to find ways to enable you to recruit someone worth recruiting, without having to pay 6 figures salaries.
IT Talent Most in Demand
According to data from CIO.com, the 10 most in-demand tech jobs for this year are –
- Database Administrator / Architect
- Information Security Analyst
- Software Developer
- Network & Computer Systems Administrator
- Computer Programmer
- Web Developer
- Information Systems Manager
- Systems Analyst
- Helpdesk / Desktop Support
- Network / Cloud Architects
And we are hearing the same reports from the job boards too. Of the hardest job titles to fill, 8 out of 20 are in the IT sector and are remaining vacant no the job boards for 3 months+. Again, not terribly helpful if you have an urgent IT job to fill.
But this could be a double-edged sword for many companies. Not only are you trying to secure the best candidates (and paying more for them!), but your own teams are also asking for pay rises due to inflation, or even worse, they are offered a considerable increase to move to another company. You then have a decision to make. Is it cheaper to agree a higher salary to keep hold of them? Whilst this does work in some cases, over 80% of people still move on within 6 months of accepting a counter offer. So, think carefully before you react to any resignations.
Shorten Your Time to Hire IT Talent
Is your recruitment process preventing you from securing the best talent? Candidate expectations are changing and to secure the best IT talent, you need to shorten your interview process to just 1 or 2 stages. These stages also ideally need to be remote so that the candidates can fit them into their day. You can always invite the candidate in to receive the job offer at the end of the process. But don’t let a 2- or 3-week interview process stop you from achieving your business goals. Here’s our advice on timescales –
- CV Feedback – 24 hours maximum. Ideally same day.
- 1st interview – within 2 days of receiving CV. Ideally remote
- 2nd interview – if absolutely necessary within 1-2 days of 1st interview
- Offer – within 24 hours of final interview
Whilst sticking to these timescales doesn’t guarantee that you’ll secure your first-choice candidate, it does give you a better chance. However, it also means that you are less likely to be wasting your time on interviews that candidates are quickly going to withdraw from.
Purpose Before Profit
Do you have a company mission? What is it that your business does that helps others? IT talent, especially younger candidates are very selective about who they work for. If an in-demand candidate receives 3 equal job offers, there decision is likely to be based on your purpose. Gone are the days of wanting to work for a ‘growth-at-all-costs’ company. For some companies there is a clear mission. One that can easily be communicated to candidates at interview. However, there are companies that need to be a little more creative when it comes to communicating their mission. Take a look at yours and make sure it’s fit for purpose before interviewing.
How Langley James can help you to secure the best IT talent
Not all recruiters are the same! It’s important to choose carefully who you work with, especially in times of a skills shortage. You don’t want a recruiter who just posts your roles on a jobs board. We’ve shown above that this is no longer the answer! The superstar IT candidates are not to be found in advert response. They are the candidates on databases, in recruiters’ networks, and recommendations. So be sure to ask the right questions of your recruiter next time you are hiring IT talent. We’d be happy to answer any questions you have, show you testimonials and even put you in touch with our clients. Just ask – we are here to help.
Feb 11, 2022 | IT, Management, Tips
Today, discussing leadership style has become an extremely popular area. Many argue that a manager’s leadership style is one of the fundamental elements that determines the extent of both business and employee success. Therefore, it’s important that you understand your leadership approach. You can then decide if it’s working for you, your employees, and the overall business. You want to ensure that you are driving the business to meet its goals and objectives and be the best it can be. Therefore, it might be necessary that you take a step back, evaluate your approach and adapt it accordingly.
Below are five common leadership styles. Have a read and figure out which one best describes you. Hint – there isn’t one best way!
Transactional Leadership Style
This tends to be thought of as the traditional leadership approach. A transformational leader implements strict rules and shows little understanding for people’s circumstances outside of work. For example, people would have to use their holidays to attend doctor’s appointments or attend their child’s sports day. The rewards and punishments your IT team receive are contingent upon their performance. As a result, rules, procedures, and standards are essential in transactional leadership. Your focus is enhancing your own success and development along with that of the organisation. However, in some situations this approach does work well. For example, research has found that transactional leadership tends to be most effective in situations where problems are simple and clearly defined. It also works well in crisis situations.
Transformational
Being a transformational leader means focusing on the needs of others, rather than your own. You treat each employee as an individual. Helping them find a work, life balance that suits them. This can often result in implementing flexible working hours. You’re all about motivating and encouraging your IT team to achieve both their own and the organisation’s goals and objectives. But do so without micromanaging. You strongly believe in trusting your employees to get the job done and the job done well. Give them the opportunity to be creative and look to the future. What’s great about a transformational leader is that they are often extremely passionate, energetic, enthusiastic and love to challenge the status quo. You are a brilliant role model and strive towards setting examples of how things should be done.
Authentic Leadership Style
Authenticity is described as ‘owning one’s personal experiences. For example – thoughts, emotions, needs, wants, preferences and beliefs’. Therefore, an authentic leader must understand their values and act accordingly. Rather than forcing their employees to follow their lead, they show authenticity by inspiring them to do so. Acting with integrity and agreeing on shared values. As a result, authentic leaders can achieve strong employee loyalty and commitment. There are four key components of authentic leadership. Self-awareness, relational transparency, balanced processing, and internalised moral perspective (do the right thing). However, entirely authentic leadership can be hard to achieve as people’s perceptions of what authenticity means can vary on a large scale.
Servant
Servant leaders work to achieve long-term, organisational goals by. They firstly facilitate the growth, development, and general well-being of the individuals in the IT team whilst sharing their power. This approach is great for building strong relationships with your employees. It truly demonstrates that you want to serve their needs. To help them be the best they can be. On the other hand, however, there is a danger that your employees might walk over you. You may find it hard to gain the respect that leaders with different styles can achieve. This is a balancing act so approach with caution.
Laisse – Faire
This is an extremely hands-off approach. Although you provide the tools and resources needed, you offer your IT team very little guidance. You give them complete freedom to make decisions on their own. As a result, people often have a lack of role awareness and poor involvement in the group. This can be demotivating and uninspiring. However, in some situations, this style works well. For example, experienced and highly skilled individuals require very little guidance, and some people appreciate the autonomy. This allows them to feel more satisfied with their work.
Leadership Style Round Up
Globalisation and social media amongst many other things has allowed leaders around the world to witness different culture’s leadership styles. This has prompted them to re-evaluate their own and we are now finding that people are steering away from traditional approaches such as transactional. There is now a huge emphasis on the importance of employee wellbeing. Most would agree that in order to run a successful, profitable business, you must ensure that your entire workforce is happy, fulfilled and motivated. However, it would be extremely difficult to adopt just one approach, therefore, taking different traits from the each of the different styles can help you become a leader that works for you and your business. Being able to do this shows you are diverse and after all, a diverse leader makes for a successful one!
If you enjoyed reading this article, why not follow our LinkedIn page to make sure you don’t miss out on the next!
Feb 11, 2022 | IT, IT Market Reviews
Jan 24, 2022 | IT, Management, Well Being
The 4-day working week has been getting a lot of publicity recently. With some companies signed up to a 6 month trial, and more companies embracing flexible working, what does this mean to you?
It’s been almost 2 years now since we all picked up our desks and relocated them into our homes. But now, as we approach the end of restrictions, the want to be back in the office is returning. However, not full time! According to a recent report, 57% of the UK workforce want hybrid working options. And rather surprisingly, and in a shift from last year, just 5% want to work from home full time. So, the physical workplace is making a return. And then the 4-day week conversation start!
We look at the pros and cons of a 4-day week and what it means for your IT teams.
PRO – The 4-day week and its impact on productivity
You may think that a day less in the office, means losing 8 hours of productivity. In the most cases, this is a total myth! Reducing the working week to 4 days has proven to increase productivity by as much as 40%! There have been numerous pieces of research and reports that support the reduction in the working week. The idea of having 3 days off during the week, instead of just 2, is to regain some work life balance. Your team are more refreshed, have better mental health and will be more productive as a result.
Did you know that the average person is only productive for 3 hours in an 8 hour day? 3 hours! This is the thinking behind a 4-day week. If your IT team is only being productive for 15 hours a week, cutting down to 4 days in theory makes them productive for 4 hours a day. You may think that this is a crazy concept. And we know that for a slim minority who can focus for 8 hours solid, a 4-day week just won’t work. However, for the vast majority it will.
TOP TIP – When someone is focused on their work, an interruption can cost them dearly. Did you know that when you are ‘in the flow’ and someone interrupts you, it takes you 23 minutes to get back into the flow? Whether it’s your emails, phone calls, or just general office chat, minimising interruptions will make your team more productive.
if you want to find out more about this subject, we highly recommend listening to the podcast – The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett. In particular the session with Johann Hari on How to fix your focus and stop procrastinating.
PRO – A key driver for talent retention and happiness at work
Flexible working has always been a key retainer. And none more so in IT teams, particularly when it comes to development roles. With reports of over 60% of UK professionals wanting to change roles this year, 24% site the lack of flexible working for their reason to move on. The labour market, and in particular IT, is experiencing a skills shortage like never before. The UK has lost over 600k people from its labour market, and this means that we need new ways to attract the best people to your business. Being able to offer a more flexible work pattern, or indeed a 4-day week is definitely a perk that will persuade people to not only join, but to stay with your business.
Introducing a 4-day week can also help increase loyalty within your business. When we have more time to do the things that we love, we become happier in ourselves. Therefore, giving your teams that extra time off will mean that they are more committed to you. Studies have shown that it also helps to reduce absence. Those long weekends really do have a positive impact on our wellbeing.
CON – It’s not for everyone!
The 4-day week is only possible if you business is able to adapt to this new way of working. How do you decide what day people have off? Is it all together, or would it be allocated on a rota. This is something to seriously consider. It won’t work for every business, just in the same way that it won’t work for every employee. Some employees are naturally more productive than others. Some are able to be productive for 7 or 8 hours straight! These are the people that a 4 day week would have a negative impact on.
They are your team members that will be more prone to working longer hours in the 4 days and increasing the likelihood of work-related stress. This is an important thing to manage as the wellbeing of your team should be a key priority in 2022. Longer hours can also mean that mistakes will be made too as people rush or get jaded from a long day.
Are you recruiting?
If you are recruiting into your IT team and want some insight and advice into how to attract the best candidates, get in touch. We’ve been helping companies attract fantastic IT candidates for over 20 years and we’d love to do the same for you. Get in touch with our team today on 0207 788 6600 / 01244 566 442
Jan 17, 2022 | IT, IT Market Reviews
Dec 10, 2021 | IT, IT Market Reviews
Dec 8, 2021 | Hiring Resources, IT, Tips
Recruiting over the last 12 months has been an interesting ride. Remote working, skills shortages and record numbers of vacancies has all had an impact. But as we creep ever closer to the end of 2021, what will next year bring? We’ve scoured the market to find the most important recruiting facts and stats you need to know for 2022.
More than 76% of UK professionals intend to look for a new job in 2022 (CV Library)
The great resignation is set to continue into 2022, so it really is time to be prepared! Looking after your current team must be high on your priorities or you may spend most of the first half of 2022 interviewing replacements. The top 5 reasons that candidates want to move from their current job are –
- 42.1% want or need a career change
- 41.3% are looking for a higher salary
- 40.7% have delayed changing jobs due to the pandemic – they are now ready to move
- 38.9% are looking for more flexible work options
- 33.2% are experiencing burnout in their current job
Flexible working has changed the face of recruiting
To be able to attract and retain some of the best IT talent, most companies are now offering flexible working, but that’s not all. How we work how we interview, how we hire and how we onboard have changed. So, here’s what to expect for 2022
- 86% of workers want to continue to work remotely at least part time (Glassdoor)
- Candidates are willing to sacrifice up to 12% of salary for flexible or hybrid working
- 61% of candidates expect video interviews to become the norm for 1st stage interviews
- 73% of companies plan to increase freelance or contract hires in 2022. However, except to pay more! Nearly 90% of businesses have been forced to increase contractor rates since April 2021.
Candidate expectations
The power is most definitely with the candidate now. The skills shortage has made sure of that. But when it comes to recruiting the best candidates, there are some things that you need to be aware of –
- 49% of candidates have declined a job offer due to a poor recruitment experience (be sure to partner with a reputable recruitment agency like Langley James instead!)
- Company diversity is important to over 75% of candidates
- If you have a reputable brand, you are likely to receive as many as 50% more qualified applications
- 84% of job seekers use social media for their job search
How to make sure your recruiting plans for 2022 are right
According to LinkedIn, the average time to hire in IT is 44 days. So even if you start to recruit the minute you return from your no doubt well-deserved Christmas break, you’re looking to March for your new starter to join. And if the predictions are right, this process could be set to take even longer next year. This where you need a recruitment partner that you can trust. Someone who can research the market for you and make recommendations to ensure you attract the very best IT professionals. We have been helping companies to recruit IT staff for over 20 years. We’d love to do the same for you. Get in touch with our experienced team today and find out why so many people choose Langley James as their IT recruitment partner.
Nov 21, 2021 | IT, Management, Tips
Someone just handed in their notice. It’s a complete surprise and now you’re stuck. Should you counter offer? Persuade them to stay?
You know that it costs more to recruit someone new than to retain someone on a slightly higher salary. So, offering more money can be enough to make someone stay. But for how long?
We’ve been helping companies navigate IT recruitment for over 20 years. We’ve heard lots of stories when it comes to counter offers. We want to share our advice on why you should always think twice before making that offer.
A counter offer is only ever a short term solution
Did you know that 80% of people leave within 6 months of accepting a counter offer and a staggering 90% within 12 months? This is why a counter offer should only ever be seen as a short term solution. A chance to buy you more time whilst you think what to do next. If your counter offer is a simple salary increase, it’s unlikely to be enough to solve the problem long term.
Why did this person resign in the first place? Was it just money?
There are lots of reasons that people resign for a job, and it’s rarely just about money. There’s always a secondary reason that’s made them make the move. Starting a new job is not something that people take lightly, so remember that your colleague will have thought long and hard about their decision. Sometimes a reason for leaving just can’t be fixed. It could be working hours, location, lack of progression. A salary increase will only mask these issues for a matter of months.
A counter offer can actually reflect badly on your company
You may think that a salary increase will make your colleague feel valued. Think again! It can have the opposite effect. Why have you not offered an increase before? Has this person not been doing a great job? What has it taken for them to resign for you to see their value.? And is it their value that you really see, or do you not want the additional work of recruiting someone new? There’s lots to consider before jumping in with that offer!
How Langley James can help
We won’t pretend that the power is very much in the candidates’ hands right now. But that doesn’t mean that recruiting someone new will be a bumpy ride. Yes, it’s harder to recruit directly. Job adverts are nowhere near as effective as they have been. So, what do you do if someone resigns and they need replacing with someone truly great? This is where we can help. As soon as someone resigns, pick up the phone to us and let’s get the ball rolling. Our extensive database of IT candidates and our network mean that we can act quickly. You could have CV’s, interviews, and an offer all within a week!
Someone new can bring a breath of fresh air to your team. New skills, new experiences, and enthusiasm. So take time to think carefully when someone resigns. Is a counter offer really the answer?
Nov 8, 2021 | IT, IT Market Reviews
Oct 12, 2021 | IT, IT Market Reviews
Oct 3, 2021 | IT, Tips
Want to know which are the highest paying IT jobs in the UK right now? The increases in IT salaries are big news at the moment. And the trend is set to continue throughout 2022. So if you are considering a new career, or your next step in IT, you need to know the best route for you. And if salary is an important factor, this is a must read!
Highest Paying Jobs in IT
Our specialist consultants have been collecting data over the last 8 months to share with you the highness paying jobs in IT. Here’s what we found –
Dev Ops Engineer
A fairly new role to the IT market, a DevOps Engineer ties development to operations processes. Hence the term DevOps. You introduce processes, methodologies, and tools throughout the software development lifecycle to help ensure balance. This can cover everything from coding, deployment, and maintenance. A strong DevOps Engineer helps businesses deliver applications quickly and efficiently.
Current Average Salary for a DevOps Engineer – £70,000. Search our latest DevOps jobs
Data Scientist
Data is at the heart of everything we do. Every day, data driven decisions are made in business across the world. Therefore, how a business gathers and uses its data is becoming increasingly important. Therefore, the role of a Data Scientist is to design data modelling processes, create algorithms and predictive models. This is to extract the data that the business needs and automation plays a big part. As well as regular data reporting, there will be various ad-hoc projects to be involved in. A Data Scientist is also key in analysing any results.
Current average salary for a Data Scientist – £75,000. Search our latest Data Scientist jobs
Mobile App Developer
Can also be known as a Mobile Developer or App Developer. However, the responsibilities are the same. A Mobile App Developer designs, develops and implements apps. You specialise in mobile technology and build apps for platforms such as iOS, Google Android, and Microsoft Windows Phone. You will need to be full of great ideas that you can turn into apps for whichever business you work for.
Current average salary for a Mobile App Developer – £63,750. Search our latest Developer jobs
The top 2 highest paying jobs in IT
Cloud Architect
A Cloud Architect is responsible for a company’s cloud computing strategy. You oversee everything from cloud application design and cloud adoption plans, to management and monitoring of the cloud architecture. In addition, you’ll need a passion for new technologies. A Cloud Architect is expected to bring ideas to the table for efficiency improvements by utilising cloud technology.
Current average salary for a Cloud Architect – £100,000. Search our latest Cloud Architect jobs
Information Security Analyst
With companies holding so much mission critical data these days, business are focusing more heavily on information security. And an Information Security Analyst is key to this. You are responsible for taking proactive measures to protect this data and be ‘one step ahead’ of any potential cyber-attacks. An architect analyses data and makes recommendations to an Information Security Administrator. Their main responsibility is keeping the systems up and running.
Current average salary for an Information Security Architect – £80,000. Search our latest Information Security Architect jobs
We have been helping IT candidates find their dream IT job or IT contract for over 20 years. We work with some fantastic companies who are currently offering some really exciting opportunities. So, if you are looking for your next IT job or IT contract, get in touch with our friendly team today – 020 7788 6600
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