It is not only in our environment to present and explain the complexity and number of variables governing the IT job market. They are recognized by everyone. However, one important fact is worth emphasizing. This market is created not only by programmers. It is also, and perhaps above all, Customers and their projects. It sounds classic, and yet the artist skillfully combines all these elements.
How to connect the Customer with the programmer
This market is created not only by programmers. It is also, and perhaps above all, Customers and their projects.What’s the point? Let’s imagine that in our database we have a resume of a developer who has just applied to our company. We also have a Client with a project for which the candidate is suitable. And the situation seems ideal. The closing of recruitment is just around the corner, we seemingly have the winners themselves, and yet…. Already at this stage-specific obstacles appear.
The availability of a programmer varies greatly, but the actual time when it is „free” in the IT recruitment market is always the same – it is outstandingly short. We all know why – we have a lot of projects waiting for hard-to-find qualified specialists. In our industry, demand has been outstripping supply for years.
Jobs find developer
The ideal programmer candidate sought for a project, as a rule, is not someone who is currently out of work and that job is looking for. This would be a dream situation for us. Rather, our candidate is still employed. And only in the gaps between one line of code and the next, and is looking for interesting professional challenges.
But here it is and success! The candidate responds to our offer: yes, I agree! The end of our troubles? Unfortunately, no. It’s because the swollen issue of the notice period of the contract that the developer is bound to his current employer arises.
In the best case, it will be a month, but often there is also a three-month notice period.
He who waits, will gain
And now what? Only now do the problems begin. How do you keep a developer who has applied with us and the project where recruitment is currently open announces its start? What to propose and how to encourage the candidate to calmly wait out the notice period. And so that he doesn’t look for other potential professional challenges during this time? Conversely. How do you explain to the Client that the ideal candidate to work on his project, will be available not from tomorrow, but in a month, two, three?
Once a Customer, once a developer
The situation in the IT job market is changing dynamically. It is common to have many open projects for which there is a shortage of developers. Less frequently, but there are situations when programmers are waiting for job offers.
Life is not made easier for us either, often complicated recruitment processes at the Customer. They are usually very time-consuming. By time-consuming I mean at least a two-week wait for decisions, interviews, setting conditions, etc.
The right train
It is similar to the trip we planned from point A to point B. Programmers choose the best seats in the „first class” of a high-speed train, having only starting and ending stations. Customers with their projects seemingly want to chase them. But they just bought tickets for a „second class” train. Which, in addition, stops at every station between points A and B.
Let's also keep in mind the role of drivers in these lineups - people who represent clients' HR departments.Let’s also keep in mind the role of drivers in these lineups – people who represent clients’ HR departments. It is to them that all communications from one side and the other go. And it is ultimately up to them whether the two sides meet – Customers – Developers.
It is also up to our drivers – the Client’s HR departments responsible for recruitment – to determine at what speed the Client’s train will move. Will it accelerate or will it pass some small stations? Will it catch up with the train of developers?
Let’s beware of thieves
Keep in mind that the possibility that someone will „steal” a developer from under our nose during this journey is high. All it takes is a better offer, a different project and the developer will drop out of our process.
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