Doing Software Engineer Recruiting in Armenia the Right Way

It’s known that there is a great demand for good software engineers around the world. Unfortunately, the demand is greater than the job market can offer. Companies will always compete for a great talent. This competition raised the software engineer salaries to the highest point that it has ever been before.

The situation in Armenia is no different. It’s even a bit worse. While there is a constant growth in a number of new tech-savvy young people, many of them become freelancers, found their startup or leave the country once they grow to a certain level. So what should be the tactics for talent acquisition in a such competitive environment?

…it’s a fact that when hiring experienced software engineers it’s the employee who chooses the company not the other way around.

Many of the companies we have worked with complain that they don’t receive enough number of CVs. Most of the experienced developers don’t have up-to-date CV in the first place. They just don’t need it. Because doesn’t matter if you agree with it or not, it’s a fact that when hiring experienced software engineers it’s the employee who chooses the company not the other way around.

No matter how high is the demand for great talents, at the end of the day they all need some place to work

That’s why many companies do headhunting and use such techniques as talent recommendation chains, or simply put — finding a candidate based on the recommendation of another talented worker that you already have. Headhunting is the last resort for the desperate employer who can’t find the right candidate through common means. So instead of investing in headhunting a company should invest in improving their image, reputation and attractiveness. No matter how high is the demand for great talents, at the end of the day they all need some place to work. To understand how engineers choose an employer you need to think like them. It’s not hard and quite predictable, and surprisingly, they don’t think much about salary at this stage. Here is a list of the most common factors software engineers consider:

1. The name, what the company does and how successful it is — is this company famous enough, cool enough and does something meaningful or not. Nobody wants to join a company that is just average. Everybody wants to be a part of something meaningful and successful. It’s not about size of the company though.
2. The type — startups vs software development companies. It is a matter of taste and there is no good or bad. In startups engineers are usually busy with one big project and use a defined list of technologies, generally have a decision making role and should be ready to do just any task. On the other hand, in software development companies engineers usually work on many different projects with many different technologies and have less freedom in decision making. So there are people who prefer startups and there are people who prefer software development companies.
3. The culture — is one of the most important criteria when choosing a company, though usually neglected by employers. Software engineers are looking for a friendly and welcoming environment, good leadership, growth opportunities and a place where they can have fun while working. Establishing a good corporate culture is a very difficult task.
4. The project/role — ambitious developers are always looking for ambitious projects and “cool technologies”. They are not afraid of challenges and get bored when there is a lack of progression.
5. What do others say about it — the reputation of your company. While you can’t change anything directly, your strategy should be to treat your employees well, organize public events, internships and trainings, sponsor and participate in the events like Barcamp, Digitec and others. Build your brand not only for your customers but also for engineers.

How to stand out?

So in order to hire talented people your company should stand out. While there are some fundamental things in your company you might not be able to or might not want to change, there are things you actually can improve to showcase your company in a better light. Think about it exactly the same way you think about marketing. Actually it has it’s own name: HR Marketing. You should do marketing to attract the right professionals, just like you do to attract more customers. Like a sales cycle starts with prospecting, talent acquisition should start by offering something the potential candidates might want.

When creating a job announcement follow these simple tips to make sure potential candidates see your company at it’s best.

• Be short and don’t use lengthy description — since prospects haven’t decided to apply yet they are not ready to invest time in reading your great article. Instead use short, simple messages that quickly attract attention.
• Showcase your office — remember that employees spend almost as much time at work as they do at home, so this makes a lot of sense. Attract great candidates with the environment they would love.
• List the benefits — in the job announcement don’t forget to list all benefits you offer to highlight how you’re different.
• Show your culture — while this is the most neglected point it has a critical priority. List your company values and the steps you take to attain them. Even if possible include quotes from your employees, let candidates see how it is to work in your company.
• Describe the project/role- a candidate should be able to learn about the role and the project he will be working on. You should not focus on duties and responsibilities, instead highlight why this position is so cool.
• Applying should be easy- stop hoping for a bunch of neatly compiled CVs. Like in the marketing, you eliminate any obstacles during the sign-up stage, the same philosophy should be used when hiring.

Conclusion

To be successful in hiring good software engineers or just any exceptionally talented people, you should invest in HR Marketing. You need to switch the mindset and start treating potential candidates as you’re treating potential customers. Improve your company’s position and work hard to make it attractive. Your company is a product you’re selling to potential employees.

Be among the best, offer the best and the best talents will join you.

We at itjobs.am believe that attracting right candidate shouldn’t be that difficult and every day we challenge ourselves to build a platform where any employer will be able to showcase their company at it’s best. And the great thing about itjobs.am is that you can start using it completely free of charge.

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