With the tech industry suffering from long-running skills shortages, employers are locked in a tight battle to attract the best talent – but many are falling short, new research shows.
A survey of 11,900 employers and employees by recruitment firm Hays found that nine-in-ten tech professionals believe interviews are the most effective way of being assessed for a role – but that nearly two-thirds have had a bad interview experience.
More than half, the study found, said this has put them off accepting a role at an organization.
"Ultimately, interviews are not only a chance for employers to assess the appeal of a professional but also a prime opportunity for tech talent to weigh up the suitability of a prospective role and organization as a whole," said Amanda Whicher, technology director for UK and Ireland at Hays.
"Employers ought to tap into this by reflecting on the impact of their interview experience and adjusting their application process where necessary to attract and impress the top tech talent."
So what should employers do?
First, they should be transparent in the job ad, according to Hays. More than eight-in-ten tech professionals said they wouldn't bother applying for a job that didn't give the salary within the job description.
Nearly three-quarters said they'd only apply if the ad gave proof of investment in personal development while seven-in-ten said they needed clear descriptions of the organization's products and services before they’d consider applying.
For those getting as far as the interview stage, the survey highlighted more ‘red flags’.
A leading red flag was poor communication and a lack of clarity as to the steps involved for the interview, at 41%, closely followed by unprepared interviewers at 39%.
An unstructured process put off 37% of applicants while the culture not appearing as though it would align with their values deterred 35%.
Also putting off a third of applicants was a one-way interview process, whereby they weren't given the chance to ask questions themselves and work out whether the employer was a good fit for them.
Earlier this year, a report from employment firm Morgan McKinley revealed three-quarters of technology hiring managers found recruitment ‘very’ or ‘quite’ competitive in 2023, with a quarter complaining that finding skilled candidates was their biggest problem at work.
With this in mind, Whicher said that employers “cannot afford to fall at the first hurdle” by giving a negative first impression with prospective recruits.
“It’s crucial to create a positive interview experience for jobseekers by thoroughly preparing for the interview, clearly communicating what the process will entail, being mindful of their time and being transparent about important aspects of the role that matter most to professionals today including pay and career progression opportunities.”
