According to Payscale’s 2024 Compensation Best Practices Report, 59% of respondents reported having roles that were open for at least six months. The reasons included:
- Employer branding was weak
- Matching the company culture was challenging
- Salaries or benefits were not competitive
- Candidates found the location, workplace, or coverage area unappealing
- Job descriptions were too specific or broad
- Candidates lacked the necessary qualifications
In many cases, creative recruitment strategies are required for hard-to-fill technical roles. The following methods can help hire top talent in technical industries where specific skill sets can be hard to find.
Elevate Your Employer Brand
Showcase your employer brand to communicate the benefits of working for your company. Emphasize how your company supports candidates’ interests, values, and lifestyles. These factors encourage candidates with niche skills to apply for your hard-to-fill technical roles.
Include the following details in your employer branding:
- Company mission, vision, and values
- Diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives
- Workplace flexibility
- Support for employee well-being
- Professional development opportunities
- Social responsibility initiatives
The following tips can strengthen your employer brand:
- Prioritize employee advocacy
- Support work-life integration
- Transparently communicate
- Emphasize authenticity
- Strengthen employee engagement
- Invest in employee growth
- Embrace constructive feedback
Craft Engaging Job Postings
Develop compelling, accurate, inclusive job postings to attract candidates for hard-to-fill technical roles. Use positive language and show your company’s personality.
Include the following details in your job postings:
- Company mission, vision, and values
- Salary range, benefits and perks
- Social responsibility initiatives
- What makes your company unique
- Minimum job qualifications
- Challenging projects included with the role
Advertise Job Openings to Niche Communities
Share your job postings for technical roles on special interest websites, targeted online job boards, professional association job boards, and other places where candidates with niche skills gather.
Also, network at relevant seminars and conferences to connect with candidates who have the specialized skills you seek.
Cross-Train Employees
Ask select employees if they would like to cross-train for hard-to-fill technical roles. Because the employees understand the business processes and fit with the culture, they likely would excel in a new role. Strengthening internal mobility supports career advancement, talent succession, and employee retention.
Work with a Trusted Niche Recruitment Firm
An experienced niche recruitment firm can provide qualified talent for hard-to-fill technical roles:
- A niche recruitment firm has professional networks of skilled candidates. These relationships help find candidates with the skills and experience you seek.
- Because the recruiters clearly understand the role, required skills, market trends, and other relevant details, they can handle your hiring needs.
- The recruitment firm knows the right questions to ask to verify candidates’ knowledge, skills, experience, and qualifications.
- You save time and money finding talent for hard-to-fill technical roles.
Partner with Element Staffing
Get the help you need finding qualified talent from our expert recruiters at Element Staffing. Reach out to start the process today.